Final Casting Announcement for M. BUTTERFLY

Complete Casting Announced For The

Upcoming Broadway Production of

M. BUTTERFLY

* * * * * * * *

CLEA ALSIP, MURRAY BARTLETT, MICHAEL COUNTRYMAN, CELESTE DEN, JESS FRY, ENID GRAHAM,

THOMAS MICHAEL HAMMOND, COLE HORIBE, JASON IGNACIO, KRISTEN FAITH OEI, ERICA SWEANY,

JOHN LEONARD THOMPSON, ERICA WONG

and Introducing

JIN HA as Song Liling

Join previously announced

Academy Award Nominee & Golden Globe Winner

CLIVE OWEN as Rene Gallimard

Written by DAVID HENRY HWANG

Directed by Tony Award® Winner JULIE TAYMOR

First Preview October 7, 2017

Opening Night October 26, 2017

At Broadway’s Cort Theatre

(August 15, 2017 – New York, NY) – Producers Nelle Nugent, Steve Traxler, Kenneth Teaton, Benjamin Feldman, Doug Morris and Spencer Ross today announce full casting for the first Broadway revival of David Henry Hwang’s Tony Award®-winning play, M. BUTTERFLY, directed by Tony Award® winner Julie Taymor.

Broadway newcomer Jin Ha will star in the role of Song Liling, opposite the previously announced Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe Award winner Clive Owen in the role of Rene Gallimard.

The cast will also include Clea Alsip, Murray Bartlett, Michael Countryman, Celeste Den, Jess Fry, Enid Graham, Thomas Michael Hammond, Cole Horibe, Jason Ignacio, Kristen Faith Oei, Erica Sweany, John Leonard Thompson, and Erica Wong.

M. BUTTERFLY will begin previews on Broadway at the Cort Theatre (138 W 48th Street) on October 7, 2017 and will open on October 26, 2017.

David Henry Hwang’s modern classic, M. BUTTERFLY, charts the scandalous romance between a married French diplomat and a mysterious Chinese opera singer – a remarkable love story of international espionage and personal betrayal. Their 20-year relationship pushed and blurred the boundaries between male and female, east and west – while redefining the nature of love and the devastating cost of deceit.

For the Tony Award®-winning play’s first Broadway return, Hwang will introduce new material inspired by the real-life love affair between French diplomat Bernard Boursicot and Chinese opera singer Shi Pei Pu that has come to light since the play’s 1988 premiere.

M. BUTTERFLY will feature original music by Academy Award® winner Elliot Goldenthal, choreography by Ma Cong, scenic design by Paul Steinberg, costume design by Constance Hoffman, lighting design by Donald Holder, sound design by Will Pickens, wig and hair design by Dave Bova, makeup design by Judy Chin, and casting by Telsey + Company/Will Cantler, CSA & Adam Caldwell, CSA.

Clive Owen is appearing with the support of Actors' Equity Association.

TICKETS

Tickets are available at www.MButterflyBroadway.com or www.Telecharge.com (212.239.6200).

Tickets for M. BUTTERFLY range from $39 - $149. Premium tickets range from $199 - $227. For group tickets and more information, please visit www.MButterflyBroadway.com.

BIOGRAPHIES

CLIVE OWEN (Rene Gallimard) is an Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner for his role as Larry in Closer, directed by Mike Nichols. The film also starred Julia Roberts, Jude Law and Natalie Portman. Clive first came onto the scene in several British and American telefilms. In 1991, he starred in his first big hit, the UK television series “Chancer.” Other UK telefilm credits included the BBC's “Second Sight,” which aired on PBS's “Mystery!” Clive made his film debut in Beeban Kidron’s Vroom in 1988, in which he restores a classic-American car to take off on the road with costar David Thewlis. He went on to play a brother who acts upon his incestuous feelings in Stephen Poliakoff’s Close My Eyes. Later, he went on to star as a reckless homosexual in corrupt pre-war Germany who finds unconditional love while in a Nazi war camp in Sean Mathias’ film of Martin Sherman’s Bent. In 2001 and 2002 respectively, he went on to star in Joel Hershman’s offbeat British comedy, Greenfingers, Mike Hodges’ Croupier and Robert Altman’s star-studded Gosford Park. With his captivating performance in the title role of Mike Hodges’ sleeper hit Croupier, critics have compared him to the likes of Bogart, Mitchum and Connery. In Clive’s next films, he starred with Angelina Jolie in the romantic war drama Beyond Borders; the Mike Hodges thriller I’ll Sleep When I Am Dead; Sin City, which co-starred Bruce Willis, Benicio Del Toro, Rosario Dawson and Jessica Alba; Derailed opposite Jennifer Aniston; Spike Lee’s thriller Inside Man opposite Denzel Washington and Jodie Foster; Alfonso Cuaron’s critically acclaimed action-packed film Children of Men opposite Julianne Moore and Michael Caine; Michael Davis’s Shoot Em Up and Elizabeth: The Golden Age with Cate Blanchett, where he portrayed Sir Walter Raleigh. Other film credits include Tony Gilroy’s Duplicity opposite Julia Roberts; The International with Naomi Watts; Juan Carlos Fresnadillo’s The Intruders; Scott Hicks’ Boys are Back; Trust with Catherine Keener and Viola Davis, directed by David Schwimmer; The Killer Elite with Robert De Niro and Jason Statham; James Marsh’ critically acclaimed Shadow Dancer with Andrea Riseborough; Guillame Canet’s Blood Ties with Marion Cotillard, Zoe Saldana, Mila Kunis and Billy Crudup; and Fred Schepisi’s Words & Pictures with Juliette Binoche. Clive will next be seen in Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. Upcoming films include Anon and Andorra, directed by Fred Schepisi. In television, Clive was most recently seen starring in Steven Soderbergh’s “The Knick” for Cinemax, which he also executive produced. His portrayal of Dr. Thatchery earned him a 2014 Golden Globe Best Actor nomination. In 2011, Clive made his American TV debut in HBO’s Emmy nominated film “Hemingway and Gellhorn,” starring opposite Nicole Kidman and directed by Phil Kaufman. His performance earned him Emmy, SAG and Golden Globe nominations. Clive is also an acclaimed stage actor with roles including his portrayal of Romeo at the Young Vic, starring in Sean Mathias’ staging of Noel Coward’s Design for Living, and playing the lead role in Patrick Marber’s original production of Closer at the Royal National Theater in 1997. In the fall of 2001, he starred in London in Lawrence Boswell’s staging of Peter Nichols’ A Day in the Death of Joe Egg. In fall 2015, Clive made his Broadway debut in the Roundabout Theater Company’s revival of Old Times. Clive starred as “the driver” in the series of BMW internet short features entitled “The Hire,” each directed by John Frankenheimer, Ang Lee, Wong Kar-wai, Guy Ritchie, and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.

JIN HA (Song Liling) is a New York City-based actor. M. Butterfly is Jin’s Broadway debut. After graduating from Columbia University with a degree in East Asian Languages & Cultures, Jin went on to receive a Master of Fine Arts degree in Acting from NYU Tisch. Previous credits include Troilus & Cressida (NYSF) and the original Chicago company of Hamilton: An American Musical.

CLEA ALSIP (Ensemble/Renée, Pinup Girl & Others) is making her Broadway debut. Off-Broadway: Neil LaBute's The Way We Get By (Second Stage); 10K and What Happens in Vegas (59e59);Ping Pong (The Public Theater), Sarah Ruhl's Stage Kiss (Playwrights Horizons); Sex of the Baby (Access Theater); Wide Awake Hearts, (59e59). Regional: I Now Pronounce (Humana Festival); The Nerd, Steel Magnolias, and Vanya, Sonia, Masha, Spike (Bucks County Playhouse); The Killing of Sister George (Long Wharf Theatre); Clybourne Park (Dorset Theatre, Barrington Stage); Lewis Black's One Slight Hitch (George Street, Williamstown); The Show Off (Westport); Brace Yourself (Berkshire Theatre); Six Degrees of Separation (Williamstown). Film/TV: "The Sinner," "Billy & Billea," "Boardwalk Empire," "Expecto Patron," 10K, Cabin Fear, Hunter & Game. Education: BA, Stanford University; MFA, NYU Graduate Acting Program. www.cleaalsip.com

MURRAY BARTLETT (Ensemble/Pinkerton, Marc, Man 2, Agent 2 & Others) graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (Sydney, Australia) and worked on stage with various companies including Sydney Theatre Company (Les Parents Terribles, Titus Andronicus) and Queensland Theatre Company (Winter’s Tale). He originated the role of Greg Connell in Boy From Oz, starring opposite Hugh Jackman in the 2006 Australian national tour. Murray starred in various Australian TV series and co-starred with Geoffrey Rush in the film Dad and Dave. In the U.S., Murray played Dom on the HBO series “Looking” and has had guest starring roles on “Iron Fist,” “Nashville,” “Limitless,” “Damages,” “Flight of the Conchords,” “White Collar,” and “Sex and the City,” amongst others. He also played Cyrus Foley on “Guiding Light” (2005-2007). Murray’s US film credits include August, and Girl Most Likely.

MICHAEL COUNTRYMAN’s (Ensemble/Sharpless, Toulon, Judge, Man 1, Agent 1 & Others) Broadway credits include: Six Degrees of Separation, Wit, Mary Stuart, Night Must Fall, Holiday, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, A Few Good Men, and Face Value. Recent Off-Broadway: Privacy, The Open House (Drama Desk Award), Dancing at Lughnasa, Bluebird, Equivocation, Shipwrecked! Film: Spotlight, True Story, Burn After Reading, P. S. I Love You, Che, The Namesake, Squid and the Whale, You Can Count on Me, among others. Television includes: “The Path,” “Billions,” “Boardwalk Empire” (SAG Award Nomination), “The Girlfriend Experience,” “The Americans,” “Elementary,” “The Sopranos.”

CELESTE DEN (Ensemble/Comrade Chin, Suzuki & Others) makes her New York and Broadway debut with M Butterfly. Select theatre credits include the world premiere of Jung Chang's Wild Swans at American Repertory Theatre and Young Vic in London; David Henry Hwang's Chinglish at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, South Coast Repertory and the 2013 Hong Kong Arts Festival; Water by the Spoonful and Two Gentlemen of Verona at Oregon Shakespeare Festival; 11 Septembre 2001, Peach Blossom Fan and King Lear with Center for New Performance; The King of Hell's Palace at Goodman New Stages Festival; As You Like It at Center Stage, The Joy Luck Club at East West Players; and the world premiere of Zoe Kazan's Trudy and Max in Love at South Coast Repertory. Film & TV credits include For The People¸ “Law & Order: True Crime,” “Homeland,” “American Horror Story,” “Scandal,” “Shameless,” “Castle,” “Criminal Minds,” and “Larry Crowne.” Den received her BFA from the University of Florida and MFA from the California Institute of the Arts. www.celeste.den.com

JESS FRY (Ensemble/Dancer, Kurogo #3) is making her Broadway debut in M. Butterfly. She has danced professionally in the Jacob’s Pillow A Jazz Happening and Menlowe Ballet Company. Regional theater credits include The Wild Party (Jackie) and Rent (Ensemble). Jess trained at Stanford University, The Juilliard School, The School at Jacob’s Pillow, Boston Conservatory, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and Bay Area Dance School. She has received scholarships including Dance Masters of America Miss Dance of America and Beach Blanket Babylon.

ENID GRAHAM (Ensemble/Agnes, Woman at Party & Others) can currently be seen as Elizabeth Lacey in the original USA series “The Sinner.” Other credits include: Broadway: The Curious Incident of a Dog in the Nighttime (OBC), The Constant Wife, Dinner at Eight, Fortune’s Fool, Honour (Tony nomination, Best Featured Actress). Off-Broadway: Bull in a China Shop (LCT3), King Lear (Public Theater), If There Is I Haven’t Found It Yet (Roundabout). Film and TV credits include: Margaret, Margot at the Wedding, The Interpreter, The Awakening (upcoming), “Mindhunter” (Netflix upcoming), “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Private Practice,” “Law & Order,” and Rose Van Alden on “Boardwalk Empire.”

THOMAS MICHAEL HAMMOND (Ensemble/Rene Gallimard, Marc, Man #2, Agent #2, Pinkerton Understudy). Broadway: The Glass Menagerie, A View from the Bridge, The Crucible, A Raisin in the Sun, Lucky Guy, Death of a Salesman, The Merchant of Venice. Off-Broadway: Julius Caesar, Hamlet, Cymbeline (Theatre for a New Audience); Dr. Knock, The Madras House (Mint Theater). Television: "Billions,” "Happyish,” "Blue Bloods,” "American Masters.”

COLE HORIBE (Ensemble/Dancer, Kurogo #1; Associate Choreographer & Dance Captain) is an actor, dancer, and martial artist. He placed second runner-up on “So You Think You Can Dance” Season 9 and is a Taekwondo silver medalist in both Junior Olympics and Collegiate Nationals, and a Siu Lum Pai Kung Fu Black Belt. He originated the lead role of Bruce Lee in the world premiere of David Henry Hwang's Kung Fu at Signature Theatre. He also played Phra Alack and Angel/George in LCT's The King and I on Broadway. TV/Film: Go For Broke, “Hawaii Five-O,” Precision, Unspoken, Out, and Dragonfly.

JASON IGNACIO’s (Ensemble/Dancer, Kurogo #4) musical-theater credits include Finch in Newsies (Fulton Theater), Carpet and LeFou's Understudy in Beauty and The Beast (Alabama Shakespeare Theater), Simon of Legree in The King and I (Lyric Opera of Chicago), Traumnovela (Barrow Street Theater, Dallas Hub Theater), Miss Saigon (Maine State Music Theater), and Mistoffelees in Cats (West Virginia Public Theater & Maine State Music Theater). A Manila native, Ignacio studied at Steps Dance Studio and received scholarships at Ballet Hispanico of NY, The Ailey School, and the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. He has performed as a principal dancer and soloist for companies around the United States. Ignacio performed overseas for eight years with Company E as part of the Cultural Diplomatic Mission of the State Department. He was the recipient of the 24th Annual Mayor’s Arts Awards for Outstanding Emerging Artist in Washington, DC and was granted the PEARL Cultural Heritage Award by The Embassy of The Philippines.

KRISTEN FAITH OEI (Ensemble/Dancer, Kurogo #2) has most recently been seen in New York in the original Broadway casts of The King and I and Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (Mary Jane understudy). Off-Broadway: world premiere of Kung Fu (Patty/Ruby Chow/Grace), In Your Arms with NY Stage and Film. International/first national tours & sit downs include: Wicked (dance captain), We Will Rock You in Las Vegas, Elton John & Tim Rice's Aida (Amneris understudy), West Side Story in Europe, and Fame the Musical. TV/film: "Zack and Cody on Deck," "Mozart In The Jungle," and Isn't It Romantic.

ERICA SWEANY (Ensemble/Agnes, Woman at Party, Pinup Girl, Renee Understudy) is a multi-disciplinary artist with a background in dance, theatre, music and design. Performance credits include Honeymoon in Vegas (Broadway); How To Transcend a Happy Marriage (Lincoln Center Theater; Rebecca Taichman, dir); Hadestown (New York Theater Workshop; Rachel Chavkin, dir.); Chix 6 (Queens Theater in the Park); touring productions of The Who's Tommy and Cats; and My Paris (Long Wharf- Kathleen Marshal, dir.), Chicago (Flat Rock), Showboat (North Shore), Cabaret (Arena Stage), Smokey Joe's Cafe (Maltz Jupiter), Music Man (Walnut Street), White Christmas (Arvada Center) regionally. Favorite film/TV work includes, It Had to be You (available on iTunes/Amazon), Casual Encounters, After Life, and NBC's "The Blacklist," "Eye Candy" on MTV, "Late Night w/ David Letterman," "I Love You, But I Lied" (Lifetime) and "Law & Order: SVU." EricaSweany.com and SweanyDesign.com

JOHN LEONARD THOMPSON (Ensemble/Sharpless, Toulon, Judge, Man 1, Agent 1 Understudy) has done many plays on Broadway (most recently, Butley), off-Broadway (Love, Janis; Sin, and shows with the Mint Theatre and the Negro Ensemble Company), internationally, on tour (Angels in America and The Graduate), and at many theatres across the United States. Film: Guarding Tess, Killer, Empty Chairs. Television: “Person of Interest,” “The Good Wife,” “Elementary,” “The Blacklist,” “Zero Hour,” “All My Children,” “Law & Order,” “Third Watch,” “Sesame Street,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” “A Woman Named Jackie.”

ERICA WONG (Swing) has appeared on Broadway in The King and I. Tours: An American in Paris (1st National). Regional: In Your Arms (The Old Globe). New York: War Paint (workshop). Ballet Companies: Milwaukee Ballet, Ballet Theatre of Maryland.

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