24 Star D.B. Woodside, John Cullum to Headline The Conscientious Objector

24 star D.B. Woodside will play Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Tony winner John Cullum has been cast as President Lyndon Johnson in Keen Company's upcoming off-Broadway production of The Conscientious Objector. This new play by Michael Murphy will begin performances at the Clurman Theatre on Theater Row on March 4 and open on March 18. The limited engagement is scheduled to continue through April 19, directed by the company's artistic director, Carl Forsman.

In early 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. informed his advisors that he intended to play a major role in the anti-war movement, advocating immediate withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Vietnam. No major figure of Dr. King's stature had yet been willing to take such a dramatic stand, and King knew he would be turning past allies like President Johnson into powerful enemies. His inner circle feared he would trigger a political backlash that could undo the progress made in civil rights. Drawing from the historical record, including the FBI's relentless and often illegal surveillance, and the White House's infamous secret telephone recordings, The Conscientious Objector tells a troubling story of dissent in America during a time of war.

Cullum most recently appeared onstage in the title role of Lincoln Center Theater's Broadway production of Cymbeline and received a 2007 Tony nomination for his performance in 110 in the Shade. He won Tony Awards for On the Twentieth Century and Shenandoah and was nominated for Tonys for his performances in Urinetown and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. His many off-Broadway credits include The Other Side, Rose's Dilemma, Old Money and All My Sons.

Woodside, who received an MFA from Yale School of Drama, is best known for playing Wayne Palmer, the President's brother, in four seasons of 24. He played Principal Robin Wood in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and has appeared in episodes of numerous TV dramas.

The Conscientious Objector is the second collaboration between Forsman, Cullum and Murphy, who worked together on SIN: A Cardinal Deposed for the New Group in 2004.