Complete Casting Announced for David Rabe's An Early History of Fire; Lily Rabe Withdraws

Complete casting has been announced for The New Group's world premiere of An Early History of Fire by David Rabe. Although Rabe’s daughter Lily Rabe was previously announced to star as Karen, she will no longer appear in the production due to a scheduling conflict. Claire van der Boom has signed on to assume the role. Directed by Jo Bonney, the production begins previews April 5 at off-Broadway's Acorn Theatre on Theatre Row. The limited engagement will open officially on April 23 and is slated to run until May 26.

The production will also star Tony nominee and Emmy winner Gordon Clapp (Glengarry Glen Ross, NYPD Blue) and Broadway vet Theo Stockman (American Idiot), in addition to Deema Aitken, Erin Darke, Jonny Orsini, Devin Ratray and Dennis Staroselsky. Set in the Midwest in the early 1960s, An Early History of Fire is the story of Danny (Stockman), who is exposed to an alluring and unsettling new world when Karen returns from college on the east coast. Awhirl in longing and eyeing a chance for radical change, Danny struggles against the grip of his immigrant father, who clings to his only son while mourning a vanished world of lost prestige. 

An Early History of Fire features set design by Neil Patel, lighting design by Lap Chi Chu, costume design by Theresa Squire, sound design by Ken Travis, dialect coaching by Doug Paulson and fight direction by David Anzuelo.