Gambatese, McGrath, McMartin, Pittu and More Join Broadway Cast of Is He Dead?

Casting is complete for the world premiere of Is He Dead?, a new comedy by novelist and satirist Mark Twain, adapted by David Ives, and directed by Michael Blakemore. The play is set to begin previews on November 8 at Broadway's Lyceum Theatre, with opening night on November 29.

Joining the previously announced Norbert Leo Butz will be Jeremy Bobb, Marylouise Burke, Patricia Conolly, Jenn Gambatese, Byron Jennings, Michael McGrath, John McMartin, David Pittu, Bridget Regan and Tom Alan Robbins.

In this newly discovered Mark Twain comedy, the original master of American humor dishes out a sly critique of the art world with acerbic wit and social commentary well ahead of his time. Is He Dead? is a fast-paced play about a struggling artist who stages his own death to drive up the price of his paintings. As the riotous scheme unfolds, Twain poses daring questions about fame, greed and the value of art, and pokes his signature, mischievous fun at everyone involved. Written in 1898, the play remained unpublished until it was rediscovered in 2002 by Twain scholar Shelley Fisher Fishkin.

Bobb has appeared on Broadway in Translations and off-Broadway in The Calamity of Kat Kat and Willing, Love: A Tragic Etude, Hell and Back and Murder in the First.

Burke received a Drama Desk Award for Fuddy Mears and a Drama Desk nomination for Kimberly Akimbo. Her Broadway credits include Into the Woods and Inherit the Wind and off-Broadway credits include Wonder of the World, Wintertime and The Oldest Profession.

Conolly's many New York theater credits include Enchanted April, Judgment at Nuremberg, Waiting in the Wings, The Sound of Music, The Heiress, The Real Inspector Hound, A Small Family Business, The Circle, Blithe Spirit, The Coast of Utopia, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Importance of Being Earnest, Tartuffe, Hedda Gabler, Misalliance, Woman in Mind and House and Garden.

Gambatese recently starred on Broadway in Tarzan and has appeared in All Shook Up, Hairspray, A Year with Frog and Toad and Footloose. For Encores!, she appeared in Stairway to Paradise.

Jennings most recently appeared on Broadway in Inherit and Wind and Heartbreak House. His many New York theater credits include A Touch of the Poet, Twelve Angry Men, The Man Who Came to Dinner, A Month in the Country, Sight Unseen, Henry IV, Dinner at Eight, The Invention of Love, Carousel, Noises Off, The Foreigner, Dealer's Choice, Waste, Don Juan, Stuff Happens, The Merchant of Venice, On the Open Road, Pericles, The Underpants and The Waiting Room.

McGrath received Tony and Drama Desk nominations for playing Patsy in Spamalot and a Drama Desk nomination for Swinging on a Star and recently played Buddy in the Encores! presentation of Follies. His other Broadway credits include Wonderful Town, Little Me, The Goodbye Girl and My Favorite Year. Other Encores! productions include The Boys from Syracuse and DuBarry Was a Lady. Off-Broadway credits include The Cocoanuts, The Butter and Egg Man, Game Show, Louisiana Purchase and Forbidden Broadway.

McMartin was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Grey Gardens and starred off-Broadway last summer in Indian Blood. Broadway credits include Into the Woods, High Society Tony nomination, Showboat Tony nomination, Follies, Sweet Charity Tony nomination, Don Juan Drama Desk Award & Tony nomination and Little Mary Sunshine Theatre World Award.

Pittu received a 2007 Tony nomination for Love/Musik and appeared in The Coast of Utopia. Other Broadway credits include Never Gonna Dance. Off-Broadway credits include Stuff Happens, Celebration and The Room, Fourth Wall, Sympathetic Magic, The Lights, Hot Keys, The Butter and Egg Man and the Encores! presentation of Of Thee I Sing.

Regan is making her Broadway debut and has appeared at the La Jolla Playhouse in The Scottish Play and Sweet Bird of Youth.

Robbins originated the role of Pumbaa in The Lion King and has appeared on Broadway in Jerome Robbins' Broadway, Threepenny Opera, Sunset Boulevard and Once Upon a Mattress. Off-Broadway credits include On the Verge, Isn't It Romantic, The Rise and Rise of Daniel Rocket, The Cradle Will Rock and Henry V. For Encores!, he has appeared in Tenderloin and Pardon My English.

Is He Dead? will be produced on Broadway by Bob Boyett, Roger Berlind, Daryl Roth, Jane Bergere, Bob Bartner and O'Boyle-Stevens. The design team for includes scenic design by Peter J. Davison, costume design by Martin Pakledinaz, and lighting design by Peter Kaczorowski.