Stage favorites Reed Birney and Margaret Colin will star in the American premiere of Tony winner Dennis Kelly's Taking Care of Baby, the latest addition to Manhattan Theatre Club's 2013-14 off-Broadway season. Directed by Erica Schmidt, the drama will begin a five-week limited engagement on November 5 at New York City Center—Stage II. Opening night is set for November 19.
In addition to Birney as Dr. Millard and Colin as Lynn Barrie, the cast of Taking Care of Baby will include Kristen Bush (Kin, The Common Pursuit) as Donna McAuliffe and Tony nominee Amelia Campbell (A Streetcar Named Desire, Our Country's Good) as Mrs. Millard/Jane. Additional casting will be announced in the coming weeks.
Taking Care of Baby debuted at London's Hampstead Theatre in 2007. Penned by Matilda's Tony-winning librettist, the play is a documentary-style drama centering on Donna McAuliffe (Bush), a young mother convicted of the murder of her two infant children. In a series of probing interviews, the people in the story, including Donna and her bewildered mother, Lynn (Colin), reveal how they may have harmed those they sought to protect.
Birney most recently appeared on the New York stage in the Broadway revival of Picnic. His many off-Broadway credits include Uncle Vanya, Circle Mirror Transformation, The Dream of the Burning Boy, A Small Fire, Dreams of Flying Dream of Falling and Blasted.
Colin appeared on Broadway in The Columnist, Arcadia, Old Acquaintance, A Day in the Death of Joe Egg and Jackie. Her TV and film credits include Blue Bloods, Nurse Jackie and Gossip Girl.
The creative team for Taking Care of Baby will include scenic design by Laura Jellinek, costume design by Jessica Pabst, lighting design by David Weiner and sound design by Fitz Patton.