Casting Set for Horton Foote's Three-Part 'Orphans Home Cycle'

Casting is complete for “The Orphans’ Home Cycle,” the world premiere of a three-part compilation of plays by the late Horton Foote. The Cycle will be presented at Hartford Stage from September 3 to October 24, followed by an off-Broadway run at Signature Theatre Company from November 5 to March 6, 2010, directed by Michael Wilson.

Bill Heck (TV’s The Closer, Medium, Without a Trace and CSI: New York) will play the central role of the adult Horace Robedaux, with Maggie Lacey (Dividing the Estate, Inherit the Wind, Our Town) as his wife, Elizabeth Vaughn Robedaux. The playwright’s daughter, Hallie Foote (2009 Tony Award nominee, Dividing the Estate), will play Elizabeth’s mother, Mary Vaughn, and James DeMarse (Dividing the Estate, The Trip to Bountiful) will play Henry Vaughn.

The 22-member ensemble is rounded out by Devon Abner, Pat Bowie, Leon Addison Brown, Justin Fuller, Jasmine Harrison, Henry Hodges, Georgi James, Annalee Jefferies, Virginia Kull, Matt Mulhern, Gilbert Owour, Jenny Dare Paulin, Pamela Payton-Wright, Bryce Pinkham, Stephen Plunkett, Lucas Caleb Rooney, Dylan Riley Snider and Charles Turner.

Set in Foote’s fictitious town of Harrison, Texas and based partly on the childhood of his father and the courtship and marriage of his parents, “The Orphans’ Home Cycle spans the lives of three families over three decades. All actors in the production will be playing multiple roles and several will track their characters through time in the various plays which comprise the Cycle.

Part I (“The Story of a Childhood”) begins at the turn of the 20th century and follows Horace Robedaux in his formative years. It includes the playsRoots in a Parched Ground, Convicts and Lily Dale. Part II (“The Story of a Marriage”) focuses on Horace’s search for a wife and consists of the plays The Widow Claire, Courtship and Valentine’s Day. Part III (“The Story of a Family”) begins with the turmoil of World War I and ends with the characters looking to the future of their family and land. It includes the plays 1918, Cousins and The Death of Papa.

Each part of the three part cycle will be staged individually as well as in repertory and one-day marathons Four of the individual plays,Roots in a Parched Ground, Convicts, Cousins and Valentine’s Day, will be staged for the first time as part of the cycle.

The design team for “The Orphans’ Home Cycle” includes Jeff Cowie and David Barber (set design), David Woolard (costume design), Rui Rita (lighting design), John Gromada (original music and sound design), Peter Pucci (choreography), Ralph Zito (voice/dialect coach) and Mark Olson (fight director).