Sullivan for "Lear"

It's almost buried in the new season announcement for Costa Mesa's South Coast Repertory: the season closing production of Shakespeare's "King Lear" to be directed by Tony award winner Daniel Sullivan who periodically returns to the Southland (typically SCR or occasionally San Diego's Old Globe) to do a Bard play.

Sullivan helmed last season's "Hamlet" at SCR with Hamish Linklater. The scuttlebutt is that the Valley's own resident Shakespeare expert, Dakin Matthews, (last seen in "The History Boys") might be the man tabbed to scale the Everest that is Lear. Hopefully whoever does get the part won't pull an Ian McKellen (remember the RSC visit back in October) and will keep his pants on.

Also coming up at SCR:

"An Italian Straw Hat" : new musical by John Strand and Dennis McCarthy about a bridegroom trying to save his wedding in turn-of-the-century New York. (Sept. 5-Oct. 5, 08)

"The Heiress": Based on the Henry James novel Washington Square about a spinster and her father. Cherry Jones scored a hit with this play on Broadway and on tour, and SCR has often staged her hit vehicles for their favorite company members (A la "Doubt")
(Oct. 17-Nov. 16)

"Noises Off": Michael Frayn farce. Do we really need to see this revived again? Apparently so.

"Lear": (May 15-June 14, 09)

A TBA World premiere (April 3-May 3)
On the smaller Julianne Argyros stage:

"Dead Man's Cell Phone:" SoCal premiere of a new play by Sarah Ruhl directed by Bart DeLorenzo. A comedy about a woman who continually answers, yep, a dead man's cell phone. Mary Louise Parker played in on Broadway. (Sept. 21-Oct. 12)

"You, Nero": new play by Amy Freed about an effort by the Roman emperor to commission a play. Sharon Ott directs (Jan. 4-25, 2009)

"Goldfish": comedy by John Kolvenbach about "love lost and found" (March 15-April 5).

It wouldn't be an SCR season, of course, without the returns of "A Christmas Carol (Nov. 29-Dec. 27) and "La Posada Magica," (Dec. 11-23.)

Check out www.scr.org for more info.