Public Theater Moves Kevin Kline’s King Lear to Spring 2007

The Public Theater has moved its production of Shakespeare’s King Lear, to be directed by James Lapine and to star Oscar and Tony Award winner Kevin Kline in the title role, to Spring 2007. The show was originally announced as a Fall 2006 production, although no dates had been set.

Kline is currently co-starring with Meryl Streep in the Public’s production of Mother Courage and Her Children at the Delacorte Theater. His other credits at the Public include The Seagull, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, Henry V, and The Pirates of Penzance, for which he received one of his two Tony Awards.

In other Public Theater news, the company confirmed earlier this week that it would present a free reading of David Hare’s Stuff Happens at the Delacorte on Wednesday, September 6 at 8pm. The show played at the Public’s Newman Theater earlier this year and won a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble. The cast of the reading will include George Bartenieff, Reed Birney, Tony Carlin, Glenn Fleshler, Zach Grenier, Lameece Issaq, Peter Francis James, Ken Marks, Larry Pine, David Pittu, Gloria Reuben, Jay O. Sanders, Thomas Schall, Robert Sella, Brenda Wehle, and Waleed F. Zuaiter.

The Public’s 2006-2007 season will begin officially on September 25 with Neil LaBute’s solo play Wrecks, starring Ed Harris. Other offerings will include Daniel Beaty’s Emergence-See, Julia Cho’s Durango, the musical Passing Strange, Craig Lucas’ The Singing Forest, and Suzan-Lori Parks’ 365 Days/365 Plays.

For more information, call 212-539-8750 or visit www.publictheater.org.