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Michael Chernus, Alicia Goranson, Marc Damon Johnson, Piter Marek, Deidre O'Connell, John Ottavino, Susan Pourfar, and Christopher Thornton will star in the Public Theater's Lab production of John Belluso's The Poor Itch. Directed by Lisa Peterson, the show will run March 7-23, with an opening set for March 19.

In the play, Ian must come to terms with who he has become, after coming back from the war in Iraq without the use of his legs and suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The play was featured in The Public's 2005 New Work Now Festival and was further developed in subsequent workshops prior to Belluso's tragic death in February 2006. The Public staged three further workshops Peterson and the same company of actors, all of whom will be appearing in this LAB production.

Chernus is currently appearing in Hunting and Gathering at Primary Stages, Goranson is best known as Becky on Roseanne, Johnson appeared in Mr. Fox: A Rumination at Signature, Marek was last seen in Cyrano de Bergerac on Broadway, O'Connell's numerous credits include Belluso's Pyretown, Ottavino appeared in Blackbird at MTC, Pourfar was recently seen Off-Broadway in Bad Jazz, and Thornton, who will play Ian, is a disabled actor with numerous TV credits including Curb Your Enthusiasm.

The creative team will include scenic design by Rachel Hauck, costume design by Gabriel Berry, lighting design by Ben Stanton, and original music and sound design by Robert Kaplowitz.

Belluso's plays include A Nervous Smile, Henry Flamethrowa, The Rules of Charity, and Pyretown. Peterson's recent directorial credits include King Lear at CalShakes, Major Barbara at the Guthrie, Mother Courage at La Jolla Playhouse and Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

For more information, visit www.publictheater.org.