Stars Drawn to Miller's Picture at the Goodman
Finishing the Picture is said to be loosely based on the filming of Miller's ex-wife Marilyn Monroe's last completed film The Misfits. It centers on a distinguished director who is about to lose his picture due to the unstable behavior of a famously fragile movie star Prete. She's recognized all over the world, loved by millions, but unable to believe in herself. The studio owner Keach is threatening to pull the plug and a temperamental acting teacher Lang is flown in to coax the actress out of bed and onto the set.
Keach received a Tony nomination for his performance as Buffalo Bill in Arthur Kopit's Indians. His other Broadway credits include Danton's Death, The County Wife, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, King Lear, Deathtrap, Solitary Confinement and The Kentucky Circle. He landed his first movie role in 1968 in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. Other film credits include End of the Road, Brewster McCloud, Doc, Fat City, The New Centurions, Luther, The Killer Inside Me, The Travelling Executioner, That Championship Season, The Ninth Configuration, Escape from LA and American History X. He can currently be seen in the Fox television series Titus.
Lang appeared at the Goodman in the world premiere of Steve Tesich's The Speed of Darkness, directed by Robert Falls. He received a Tony nomination when that production moved to Broadway. He also appeared on Broadway in A Few Good Men, Death of a Salesman and Wait Until Dark. Lang's many feature film credits include Tombstone, Gettysburg, Last Exit to Brooklyn and Gods and Generals.
Lavin appeared at the Goodman in 2003 in the world premiere of Hollywood Arms, which transferred to Broadway. She won the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards for Broadway Bound. Her other Broadway credits include The Tale of the Allergist's Wife Tony nomination, The Diary of Anne Frank Tony nomination, The Sisters Rosensweig, Gypsy, Last of the Red Hot Lovers Tony nomination and Superman. For her starring role in the long-running television series Alice, she won the People's Choice Award and the Golden Globe Award two years in a row.
Modine is a veteran of over 30 films, including Birdy, Married to the Mob, Vision Quest, Full Metal Jacket, Gross Anatomy, The Browning Version, Memphis Belle, Shortcuts, Pacific Heights, Bye Bye Love, Cutthroat Island, On Any Given Sunday and Le Divorce. He earned Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations for his performance in HBO's And the Band Played On. He most recently appeared in The Winning Season for TNT, portraying baseball legend Honus Wagner.
Prete, who primarily works in Chicago-area productions, recently appeared in The Time of Your Life at Steppenwolf Theatre. Other Chicago stage credits include Much Ado About Nothing at Chicago Shakespeare, The Adding Machine with National Pastime Theatre and Hot L Baltimore with Raven Theatre.
Finishing the Picture is scheduled to officially open on October 5. Three of the play's roles, including that of the director, are yet to be cast.