Michael Mayer (Thoroughly Modern Millie) directs the new Broadway staging which began previews June 25 at the American Airlines Theatre and is slated to run through Sept. 12.

Broadway newcomer Krause stars opposite another stage debutante, Carla Gugino, in a cast that includes Mark Nelson, Jessica Hecht and Candy Buckley. They are joined by Vivienne Benesch, Roxanna Hope, Kathleen McNenny, Ken Marks, Baylen Thomas, Jonathan Walker and Dan Ziskie.

After the Fall follows the inner struggle of a lawyer in his forties who — while awaiting his new love at an airport terminal — journeys into his past to answer his existential issues. In his soul-searching quest, he revisits the death of his mother and a line of failed relationships. The work is said to be the scribe's most autobiographical.

Krause stars in the lead role of lawyer Quentin, historically viewed as a stand-in for author Miller. Gugino tackles the meaty role of Maggie, a famous singer in his past who is troubled by an addiction to sleeping pills and alcohol — believed by many to mirror the author's late wife, Marilyn Monroe.

The design team for After The Fall will feature Richard Hoover (sets), Michael Krass (costumes), Donald Holder (lights) and Dan Moses Schreier (sound). Krause plays the older brother in the family that owns and runs a funeral home on HBO's "Six Feet Under." The Minneapolis native began his acting career at New York University — where he starred in productions of Macbeth, Uncle Vanya and Arms and the Man. He made his television debut on the variety show, "Carol and Company" and also appeared on "Cybill." He is well-known for his role as a sportscaster on the Aaron Sorkin short-lived television (but Emmy Award-winning) series "Sports Night." Krause can also be seen in the movie "We Don't Live Here Anymore."

"The thread between [my characters on] 'Sports Night' and 'Six Feet Under' and After The Fall and the movie 'We Don't Live Here Anymore,' is that they're all conflicted modern men to a greater or lesser degree. I would say [After The Fall's] Quentin is the most expressive of the bunch, at least verbally," Krause told Playbill On-Line. (To read the full interview, visit Playbill On-Line's Brief Encounter section.

Gugino, who recently starred in the television series "Karen Sisco," is known for her work on television and film. Her big screen credits include her role as wife to Antonio Banderas in the "Spy Kids" trilogy as well as turns in "The Singing Detective," "The One," "The Jimmy Show," "Judas Kiss" and "Snake Eyes." She was also Michael J. Fox's original girlfriend on TV's "Spin City" and appeared on "Chicago Hope." Gugino has appeared on stage in a production of Of Mice and Men at the Geva Theatre.

On Broadway, director Mayer — who is also slated to revive Marsha Norman's 'night, Mother later this season — has directed An Almost Holy Picture, Uncle Vanya, The Lion in Winter, Side Man and A View From the Bridge (all Roundabout shows) as well as You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and Triumph of Love.

"The inner journey of the protagonist" attracted him to the play, Mayer previously told Playbill On-Line. "It's so psychologically rich: This man is sort of doing this exhaustive soul-searching and every betrayal and every infraction and every sort of challenge to understanding about what decency is — through his whole life — comes flooding back in a kind of stream of-consciousness way. It was very ahead of its time, I think. You see this man doing real battle with his demons with all the people in his life. You feel like before he can move forward and accept the love of a new woman in his life, he's got to somehow get beyond all the other relationships that have plagued him, and his own inadequacies and his own failings and the betrayals he has endured or witnessed — and the betrayals that he has actually perpetrated. I think it's a great, great play."

The play debuted on Broadway in 1964 with Jason Robards, Jr. in the lead role and Barbara Loden as the singer — a turn that won her the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress. Hal Holbrook and Faye Dunaway also appeared in the work staged by Miller's oft-collaborator Elia Kazan.

Roundabout has also produced other Miller works including The Man Who Had All the Luck, A View From The Bridge, All My Sons, The Price and The Crucible.

Tickets are currently available by calling Roundabout Ticket Services at (212) 719 1300 or at the box office of the American Airlines Theatre (227 West 42nd Street). For more information, visit www.roundabouttheatre.org .