Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) presents the World Premiere of Bronx Bombers, Conceived by Fran Kirmser, Commissioned by Tony Ponturo, and Written and Directed by Eric Simonson (Broadway’ s Lombardi). The production features Joe Pantoliano (Emmy Award winner from HBO’s “The Sopranos”) as Yogi Berra, with Francois Battiste (Broadway’ s Magic/ Bird), Chris Henry Coffey (Off-Broadway’s Water by the Spoonful), Bill Dawes (Broadway’ s Lombardi), Christopher Jackson (Broadway’ s In the Heights, Memphis), Keith Nobbs (Broadway’ s Lombardi) and John Wernke (Broadway’ s The Lyons). Bronx Bombers runs September 17- October 19 at Primary Stages at The Duke on 42nd Street, Times Square/NYC.
Ruth. Berra. DiMaggio. Jeter. The New York Yankees has never had a shortage of star players. In this world premiere from the creative team behind Broadway’s Lombardi and the director of the Primary Stages hit String of Pearls, Bronx Bombers examines how baseball’s most storied franchise has always remained focused on maintaining a great team, even when dealing with some of the game’s most iconic and tempestuous personalities. How do they do it? Well, as Yogi always said, “You can observe a lot by watching.”
Bronx Bombers features Scenic Design by Beowulf Borritt, Lighting Design by Jason Lyons, and Original Music and Sound by Lindsay Jones.
Casting for the roles of Carmen Berra and Babe Ruth to be announced shortly.
LISTINGS INFORMATION: Bronx Bombers plays a limited engagement September 17- October 19 at The Duke on 42nd Street – a NEW 42ND STREET® project. (229 West 42nd Street, between 7th and 8th avenues). Performances are Tuesday-Thurs 7pm, Fri 8pm, Sat 2&8pm, Sun 3&7 pm. There is an added performance Wednesday, October 16 at 2pm. Tickets can be purchased online at Dukeon42.org, by phone at 646-223-3010 or at the box office. Regular box office hours at The Duke on 42nd Street are: Tues-Fri 4pm- 7pm; Saturday 12 pm- 6pm. Box Office hours are extended on performance days. Group Tickets (10+) are $49 each for all performances. Student group tickets are available for $39 each. Group sales are available by calling (212) 840-9705, ext. 204. Please visit the website at www.primarystages.org, or call (212) 840-9705 for additional information.”
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
FRANCOIS BATTISTE (Reggie Jackson/ Elston Howard) Broadway: Prelude to a Kiss (Roundabout) , Magic/Bird. Off-Broadway: Detroit ’67 (Public), Broke-ology (Lincoln Center), The Good Negro (Public Theatre, OBIE Award), The Winter’s Tale (Delacorte), The Merchant of Venice (Delacorte), Ten Things to do Before I Die (Second Stage). Regional: Williamstown, Sundance, Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare, Lookingglass, Victory Gardens, Dallas Theatre Center. Selected TV/Film: “The Good Wife,” “Person of Interest,” “Are We There Yet?” HBO’s The Normal Heart, Men in Black III, You Bury Your Own. Founding member of The Collective Theatre Co. in Chicago.
CHRIS HENRY COFFEY (Joe DiMaggio) is pleased to be making his Primary Stages debut. Most recently he was seen in A.R. Gurney’ s The Dining Room at the Westport Country Playhouse, directed by Mark Lamos and in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Water by the Spoonful at Second Stage, directed by Davis McCallum. Most recent film and TV credits include The Little Tin Man (which will release 2013) and Epilogue (which premiered at Tribeca FF 2013). Also Neil LaBute’ s BFF and David Schwimmer’ s feature Trust. Recurring roles on “Law & Order: CI”, guest-stars on “The Good Wife”, “Cupid”, “Law & Order” , and others. Coffey is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama.
BILL DAWES (Mickey Mantle/ Thurman Munson) Bill’s last play was Lombardi on Broadway. On TV, Bill has recently guest starred on “Criminal Minds,” “Rizzoli & Isles” & “Law & Order.” He’s appeared in several independent films including I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, Adam, and Evenhand. As a comic, Bill is a staple at the Hollywood Laugh Factory, a regular headliner at The Tropicana in Las Vegas, and is currently part of The Leatherneck Tour performing on Marine bases throughout the world. He has also toured Iraq and Afghanistan as part of the USO.
CHRISTOPHER JACKSON (Derek Jeter) Broadway: Memphis, In The Heights, The Lion King. Off-Broadway: The Jammer, Cotton Club Parade, Lonely I’m Not, In The Heights. TV: “A Gifted Man,” “White Collar,” “Nurse Jackie,” “Gossip Girl,” “Fringe,” “Oz.” Film: Tracers. Charter member of the Hip-Hop/Improv comedy group, Freestyle Love Supreme. Emmy award-winning composer and lyricist for collaboration with Will.I.AM for Outstanding Original Song. Jackson was co-music director for the Emmy Winning PBS Show, “The Electric Company” and composed music for “Sesame Street” . Solo album: In the Name of Love.
KEITH NOBBS (Billy Martin) Broadway: Lombardi, The Lion in Winter. Off-Broadway: The Tutors, The Great God Pan, Lemon Sky, Dog Sees God, Romance, Dublin Carol, Triple Happiness, Four (Lortel Award, Drama Desk nom.), The Hasty Heart, Free to Be You and Me, Hope is the Thing with Feathers, Fuddy Meers, Stupid Kids. Television: “Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight” (upcoming), “The Pacific,” “The Black Donnellys” (series regular) and others. Film: The Bad Guys, Weakness, Phone Booth, 25th Hour, Double Whammy and others. Graduate of LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts.
JOE PANTOLIANO (Yogi Berra) is very happy to be working with Eric Simonson and the very talented cast of Bronx Bombers. With over 100 film, television, and stage credits, his most notable films include Risky Business, The Goonies, Midnight Run, The Fugitive, Bound, The Matrix, and Memento. He won a 2003 Emmy for his role HBO’s “The Sopranos,” and appeared on stage in LA in premiere of Lyle Kessler’ s Orphans and in John Patrick Shanley’s Italian-American Reconciliation.
JOHN WERNKE (Lou Gehrig) – Broadway: The American Plan, The Lyons, Accent On Youth, The Royal Family. Off Broadway: Cactus Flower, Ten Chimneys, A Little Journey. Regional: American Conservatory Theater, Ma-Yi Theater, Portland Center Stage, Capital Repertory, People’s Light and Theater, Two River Theater. Film/TV: The Good Shepherd, Broken English, “Life On Mars,” “NYC Serenade.” BFA Boston University.