The world premiere of Rogelio Martinez’s Blind Date has found its cast at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre. The new play details the behind-the-scenes meetings between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev’s advisors as they sought to aid relations between the U.S. and Soviet Russia during The Cold War. Performances, under the direction of Artistic Director Robert Falls, begin January 20, 2018.
The cast will consist of Tony winner Deanna Dunagan (August: Osage County) as Nancy Reagan, Rob Riley (The Crowd You’re In With at the Goodman) as former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, Steve Pickering (Death of a Salesman on Broadway) as former Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Soviet Union Eduard Shevardnadze, William Dick (The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia at the Goodman) as former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev, Mary Beth Fisher (Domesticated) as his wife Raisa, Jim Ortlieb (Of Mice and Men on Broaday) as former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz, and Thomas J. Cox (Old Curiosity Shop) as Reagan biographer Edmund Morris.
The production set designer Riccardo Hernandez, costume designer Amy Clark, lighting designer Aaron Spivey, and sound designer Richard Woodbury.
Blind Date is a recipient of a New Play Award by the Edgerton Foundation. The play is the third piece in Martinez’s Cold War trilogy, which also includes Ping Pong (the Public Theater) and Born in East Berlin (Atlantic Theater Company).
Performances are scheduled to run through February 25.
Tickets are on sale beginning December 1 at GoodmanTheatre.org, by phone at (312) 443-3800 or at the box office, located at 170 N. Dearborn, Chicago.
