Lili Taylor, John Cullum & Jena Malone to Star in Mourning Becomes Electra

Lili Taylor, John Cullum and Jena Malone have signed on with the New Group to star in an off-Broadway revival of Eugene O'Neill's Mourning Becomes Electra. Directed by New Group artistic director Scott Elliott, the play will begin performances on January 29, 2009, at the Acorn Theater on Theater Row and open on February 19.

This seldom-revived drama, which debuted on Broadway in 1931, is a Freudian update of the Greek tragedy, set during the American Civil War. It tells the story of General Ezra Mannon based on Agamemnon, his adulterous second wife, Christine based on Clytemnestra and played by Taylor, and children Orin based on Orestes and daughter Lavinia based on Electra and played by Malone. Cullum has been cast as Seth Beckwith.

With an unedited running time of five hours, Mourning Becomes Electra was last revived on Broadway in 1972. In recent years, the juicy role of Christine has attracted actresses such as Jane Alexander in a 2003 Long Wharf production and Helen Mirren in a 2003 National Theatre production.

Mourning Becomes Electra will follow the New Group's production of Kevin Elyot's Mouth to Mouth, which begins performances on October 20 for an official opening on November 6, directed by Mark Brokaw.