Lily Rabe will play the title character in Neil LaBute's adaptation of "Miss Julie" at the Geffen Playhouse this spring, an individual with knowledge of the production told TheWrap.
The "American Horror Story" actress will star alongside Chris Messina of "The Mindy Project" and "Damages," and Laura Heisler, who recently appeared in the Geffen's production of Michael Golamco's "Build."
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Rabe, who just signed on for the third season of the hit FX show "American Horror Story," was nominated for a Tony Award in 2011 for her portrayal of Portia in "The Merchant of Venice" with Al Pacino. She last appeared on Broadway in Theresa Rebeck's 2011 play, "Seminar." The actress is the daughter of playwright David Rabe and the late actress Jill Clayburgh.
Chris Messina made his debut on Broadway in a small role in 2003's "Salome," also starring Pacino. He also appeared in several off-Broadway plays, including Caryl Churchill’s "Far Away" at New York Theatre Workshop, Melanie Marnich's "Blur" at Manhattan Theatre Club and Craig Lucas' "This Thing of Darkness" at Atlantic Theatre Company.
Jo Bonney will stage the revival of August Strindberg's battle-of-the-sexes, class-clash play, which is being re-set in Long Island, just before the 1929 stock market crash. She has previously collaborated with LaBute on several plays, including "Fat Pig" and "The Break of Noon" in New York and at the Geffen.
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“I wanted this setting to be my own while still dealing faithfully with the themes and mores of the lives of these characters as they were first written,” LuBute said in a statement. “A cloud of desperation and despair will soon hang over the United States but tonight — in this kitchen that Strindberg conjured up 150 years ago — the lives of the three characters in Miss Julie will never be the same."
The Geffen Playhouse declined to comment to TheWrap on the casting.
"Miss Julie" was first performed on Broadway in 1913. Several film adaptations have been released over the years, and this week, "Zero Dark Thirty" Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain just signed on to tackle a new film version directed by Liv Ullman and also starring Colin Farrell.
"Miss Julie" begins previews on April 23, with opening set for May 1. It is scheduled to run through June 2.