THE PREACHER AND THE SHRINK, a new play by Merle Good starring Dee Hoty, is now in previews and will officially open on Monday, November 18th at The Beckett Theatre at Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street.Under the direction of Steven Yuhasz, THE PREACHER AND THE SHRINK also features Tom Galantich (Mamma Mia!, City of Angels, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Boeing-Boeing), Mat Hostetler (War Horse, “Boardwalk Empire,” “White Collar”), Adria Vitlar (The Columnist, Blood and Gifts), and Nicholas Urda (Love’s Labour’s Lost).
In THE PREACHER AND THE SHRINK, a spirited young woman makes a sexual accusation which checkmates her father, a popular and respected pastor. They have been estranged for years by a deep grief. Will she follow through? Will he fight back? Even the psychiatrist (Dee Hoty) who tries to help becomes conflicted when middle age romance develops. THE PREACHER AND THE SHRINK unwraps these struggles with startling consequences.
Three-time Tony nominee Dee Hoty has starred in numerous Broadway hits including The Will Rogers Follies, City of Angels, Mamma Mia!, Footloose, and Me and My Girl, and Off-Broadway in Personals and Vanities. She played Phyllis Rogers Stone in the all-star Paper Mill revival of Follies, which was preserved on a two-CD set as the only complete recording of the legendary Sondheim score. Her TV credits include “Elementary,” “Smash,” “St. Elsewhere,” and “My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies.”
Merle Good is an author, publisher and playwright, and has written numerous books and articles including Op-Ed essays for The New York Times and The Washington Post. He and his wife Phyllis oversee a series of projects in publishing and the arts. Merle also served as associate producer and screenplay consultant for Hazel’s People, starring Geraldine Page and Pat Hingle, based on his novel Happy as the Grass Was Green
Director Steven Yuhasz has worked extensively in commercial and non-profit theatre. He produced Streakin’ Off-Broadway and The Visit, The Normal Heart and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas for The Actors Fund. He is a Founding Producer of the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF). Steven directed Off-Broadway’s Flamingo Court and he is currently Executive Director for Shakespeare on the Sound.
Set design for THE PREACHER AND THE SHRINK is by Brian Prather (Freud’s Last Session), with lighting design by Kirk Bookman (The Divine Sister, The Sunshine Boys, NY Philharmonic’s Company), costume design by Carol Sherry (Forbidden Broadway), and sound design by Patrick Weaver (The Visit).
The playing schedule for THE PREACHER AND THE SHRINK is Tuesdays at 7 PM, Wednesdays through Fridays at 8 PM, Saturdays at 2 & 8 PM, and Sundays at 3 PM. Tickets are available through www.Telecharge.com 212-239-6200.
For more information, visit www.ThePreacherAndTheShrink.com.
TOM GALANTICH as Dr. Michael Hamilton and DEE HOTYas Dr. Alexandra Bloomfield in THE PREACHER AND THE SHRINK, a
new play by Merle Good at The Beckett Theatre at Theatre Row.