Jonathan Groff to Headline The Bacchae in Central Park; Full Cast Set

George Bartenieff, André De Shields, Jonathan Groff, Karen Kandel, Joan MacIntosh, Steven Rishard and Rocco Sisto will star in the previously announced Shakespeare in the Park production of Euripides’ The Bacchae. The play, directed by JoAnne Akalaitis and translated by Nicholas Rudall, features original music by Philip Glass. It runs from August 11 through August 30 at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park. Opening night is set for August 24.

This version of the classic story reimagines what happens when a government attempts to outlaw desire.

Bartenieff, who will play Cadmus, is a three-time OBIE winner. His Public Theater credits include The Memorandum, The Increased Difficulty of Concentration, Trelawney of the “Wells,” Dead End Kids, American Notes, Cymbeline, Stuff Happens and Romeo and Juliet.

Two-time Tony nominee De Shields will take on the role of Teiresias. The actor has appeared at the Public in Dancing on Moonlight and on Broadway in Impressionism, The Full Monty, Prymate, Play On!, Ain’t Misbehavin’ and The Wiz.

Groff, who will play Dionysus, returns to the Public after recently playing Gray in Craig Lucas’s The Singing Forest OBIE Award and the role of Claude in the Shakespeare in the Park revival of Hair. He received Tony and Drama Desk nominations for his performance in Spring Awakening on Broadway and is featured in Ang Lee’s new film Taking Woodstock.

Kandel, who will play Chorus Leader, appeared at the Public in Carl Hancock Rux’s play Talk, for which she shared a special OBIE Award with the rest of the ensemble. She also won an OBIE Award for her performance as The Narrator in Liza Lorwin’s Peter and Wendy at the New Victory Theater and recently played The Woman in JoAnne Akalaitis’s production of Beckett Shorts at New York Theatre Workshop.

Macintosh, who will take on the role of Agave, is currently in the Public’s production of Suzan-Lori Parks’ Father Comes Home From The Wars Parts 1, 8 & 9. Credits include the Public productions of 365 Days/365 Plays, Macbeth, All’s Well That Ends Well, Cymbeline, Julius Caesar, A Bright Room Called Day, Dispatches and Alice In Concert.

Rishard, who will play Cowherd, is an artistic associate with Division 13 Theater Company, where he has performed in The Genet Project and Cascando.

Sisto, who will play Messenger, has many Public credits, including Hamlet, My Uncle Sam, What Did He See?, The Winter’s Tale, Machinal, Akalaitis’ production of ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore, All’s Well That Ends Well 1993, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Silence, Cunning, Exile and Macbeth.

The Greek chorus will include Marisa Echeverria, Colleen Fitzpatrick, Jennifer Ikeda, Jennifer Nikki Kidwell, Alexa Kryzaniwsky, Vella Lovell, Nana Mensah, Ereni Sevasti, Elena Shaddow, Han Tang and Idara Victor.

The Bacchae will feature scenic design by John Conklin, costume design by Kaye Voyce and lighting design by Jennifer Tipton.