'A Walk in the Woods' by Lee Blessing

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. - March 25, 2016 - PRLog -- LONG BEACH, Calif. - Can personal bonds bridge political chasms? John Henry Davis directs Tony Abatemarco and David Nevellin a brilliant and funny play of ideas by Lee Blessing. A Walk in the Woods opens April 29 at International City Theatre, with two low-priced previews set for April 27 and April 28.

Winner of the prestigious American Theatre Critics/Steinberg New Play Award, and nominated for both the Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award, Blessing's dramatic comedy was inspired by historic conversations between a pair of arms negotiators during the Cold War.

In the play, Abatemarco plays Andrey Botvinnik, a cynical career Soviet diplomat, and Nevell is John Honeyman, an idealistic American negotiator. They meet in the woods outside Geneva to explore the obstacles their countries face on the path to peace.

"While today's politics are different from those of the Cold War, the world's no less dangerous, and the possibility of a small country touching off a major conflagration by using just one nuclear device grows greater every day," Blessing recently wrote in an article.

"News about nuclear tests in North Korea and the controversial deal we've just signed with Iran have put the issue of negotiation back on everybody's mind," says Davis. "But what's going to grab audiences is the emotional connection between these two characters and the passion with which they express their points of view. This play speaks to our concerns about the dangers in the world today - but it's also a funny and playful comment on human behavior."

A Walk in the Woods was first presented as a staged reading during the 1986 National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. It was produced on Broadway in 1988 with Sam Waterston and Robert Prosky, who recreated their roles for a PBS television movie. The London production in 1988-89 featured Alec Guinness and Edward Hermann. The play was a nominee for the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the 1988 Tony Award for Best Play and the BBC Award for Play of the Year. Recent productions include a 2014 off-Broadway revival that starred Kathleen Chalfont as "Irina" Botvinnik, which The New York Times called "consistently smart and interesting."

Set design for A Walk in the Woods is by Christopher Scott Murillo, lighting design is by Donna Ruzika, costume design is by Kim DeShazo, sound design is by Jeff Polunas, props are by Patty and Gordon Briles, wigs are byAnthony Gagliardi, casting is by Michael Donovan Casting and the production stage manager is Molly McGraw.

Lee Blessing's other plays include Going to St. Ives (Outer Critic's Circle Award, Best Play; Obie Award, Ensemble Performance); Thief River (Drama Desk nomination, Best Play); Cobb (Drama Desk Award, Best Ensemble);Chesapeake, Eleemosynary, Down The Road, The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid and Cold Water. In the 1992-93 Signature Theatre season: Fortinbras, Lake Street Extension, Two Rooms and the world premiere of Patient A. Recent regional world premieres: A Body of Water at the Guthrie Theater and Old Globe Theatre; Lonesome Hollow, Flag Dayand Whores, all at the Contemporary American Theatre Festival; The Scottish Play at La Jolla Playhouse; Black Sheepat Florida Stage and The Winning Streak at George Street Playhouse. Other plays: Independence, Riches, Oldtimers Game, Nice People Dancing To Good Country Music and Perilous Night. Other awards: The American Theater Critics Circle Award, Los Angeles Drama Critics Award, Great American Play Award, Humanitas Award and the George and Elisabeth Marton Award, among others.

A Walk in the Woods runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., April 29 throughMay 22. Two preview performances take place on Wednesday, April 27 and Thursday, April 28 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $47on Thursdays and Fridays, and $49 on Saturdays and Sundays, except opening night (April 29), for which tickets are$55 and include a post-performance reception with the actors, and previews which are $35.

International City Theatre is located in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center at 330 East Seaside Way in Long Beach, CA 90802. For reservations and information, call the ICT Box Office at 562-436-4610 or http://ictlongbeach.org.