Race: David Alan Grier joins cast of David Mamet's new play

Race, the new play written and directed by David Mamet, welcomes David Alan Grier to the cast alongside previously announced cast members James Spader, Richard Thomas and Kerry Washington.

Race will make its world premiere at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, where it will open on 6 Dec 2009, following previews from 16 Nov 2009. Rehearsals are set to begin on 20 Oct 2009.

Trained in Shakespeare at Yale, Grier began his professional career on Broadway as 'Jackie Robinson' in 'The First,' for which he earned a Tony nomination in 1981. He then joined the cast of 'Dreamgirls,' and went on to star opposite 'Denzel Washington' in 'A Soldier�s Play,' and both actors continued their roles in the film version, 'A Soldier�s Story.' Grier�s performance in the role attracted the attention of Robert Altman, who cast him into a lead role in his film adaptation of David Rabe�s 'Streamers.'

Grier's many additional feature film roles, including 'Baadasssss!' for director Mario Van Peebles, 'The Woodsman' opposite Kevin Bacon and Mos Def, '15 Minutes,' 'Boomerang,' 'Bewitched,' and 'Jumanji.' He also co-wrote, produced and appeared in the independent film 'Poker House,' Lori Petty�s directorial debut.

Grier�s other theatre credits include the lead role of 'Pseudolus' in the Broadway revival of 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,' and well as the New York Shakespeare Festival productions of 'Richard III' and 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' at Central Park.

There has still been no announcement about the play's synopsis.

Race will feature scenic design by Santo Loquasti and lighting design by BBrian MacDevitt.

The play will be produced by Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel & Steve Traxler, the award-winning producers of 'Speed-The-Plow,' 'Glengarry Glen Ross' as well as 'August: Osage County' and 'Blithe Spirit.'

Mamet�s staging credits include the world premieres of his plays 'Oleanna,' 'The Cryptogram,' 'Boston Marriage,' and 'Faustus,' as well as 'Ricky Jay and his 52 Assistants' and 'Ricky Jay: On the Stem,' and various productions for the Atlantic Theater Company and Circle Rep.

For motion pictures, he has previously written and directed 'Redbelt,' 'Spartan,' 'Heist,' 'State 'and 'Main, Catastrophe,' 'The Winslow Boy,' 'The Spanish Prisoner,' 'Oleanna,' 'Homicide,' 'Things Change,' and 'House of Games.' For television, he has directed numerous episodes of his CBS series 'The Unit,' for which he also is creator and executive producer.

Mamet, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and New York Drama Critics Circle Award for 'Glengarry Glen Ross,' has also written 'Sexual Perversity in Chicago,' 'Lakeboat,' 'The Water Engine,' 'The Duck Variations,' 'Reunion,' 'The Blue Hour,' 'The Shawl,' 'Bobby Gould in Hell,' 'Edmond,' 'Romance,' 'The Old Neighborhood 'and the recent adaptation of 'The Voysey Inheritance.'

A two-time Academy Award nominee for 'The Verdict' and 'Wag the Dog,' Mamet�s additional film credits include 'The Postman Always Rings Twice,' 'The Untouchables,' 'Hoffa,' 'Ronin,' 'The Edge' and 'We�re No Angels.' His nonfiction work includes 'The Wicked Son,' 'True and False,' and 'Bambi vs. Godzilla.'

He is a member of New York�s Atlantic Theater Company, which he founded in 1985 with William H. Macy.

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