Rebecca Taichman, who also directed Ruhl's Stage Kiss at Playwrights Horizons, as well as Dead Man's Cell Phone and The Clean House, directs the premiere.
Keenan-Bolger (The Glass Menagerie, Peter and the Starcatcher, Spelling Bee) is joined by Ernest Abuba (Pacific Overtures), James Yaegashi (Take Me Out), Tsering Dorjee ("Himalaya"), Takemi Kitamura (Gekiryu), James Saito (Flower Drum Song), Jon Norman Schneider (The Architecture of Becoming) and Nami Yamamoto (Headless Wolf).
According to LCT, "The Oldest Boy tells the story of Tenzin, the toddler son of an American woman (Keenan-Bolger) and a Tibetan man (Yaegashi) who is recognized as the reincarnation of a high Buddhist teacher. Differing cultures contend with competing ideas of faith and love when two monks seek permission to take Tenzin to a monastery in India to begin his training as a spiritual master. His parents must decide whether to send their young son away or keep him home."
The production has sets by Mimi Lien, costumes by Anita Yavich, lighting by Japhy Weideman, sound by Darron L West, choreography by Barney O'Hanlon and puppetry design/direction by Matt Acheson.
LCT will host a talkback in conjunction with the production in the Lobby of the Vivian Beaumont Theater: "The Story of Reincarnation in Tibetan Buddhism," featuring Dr. Thupten Jinpa Langri (Nov. 4 at 6 PM, $20 admission). Ruhl's plays also include In The Next Room, or the vibrator play; Passion Play, a cycle; Melancholy Play; Orlando; Dear Elizabeth; and Late: a cowboy song.
For tickets, visit LCT or Telecharge.com. The Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater is located at 150 West 65th Street.
