Taking an Opening

Cynthia Nixon, Edie Falco, Simon Pegg, Amy Ryan, Joel Grey, Bobby Cannavale, Adam Guettel, and Eartha Kitt prove to be purr-fect opening night guests.

By Joseph Marzullo,Tristan Fuge,Brian Scott Lipton • Oct 2, 2008 • New York

Two significant Off-Broadway shows opened on Tuesday, September 30. Naked Angels' production of Stephen Belber's dark comedy Fault Lines, at the Cherry Lane, is directed by David Schwimmer (far left) and stars Noah Emmerich, Josh Lucas, Jennifer Mudge, and Dominic Fumusa.

British comedian Simon Pegg starred in the film Run Fatboy Run, which Schwimmer directed.

Tony Award winner Cynthia Nixon -- who recently won the Emmy Award for her guest turn on Law & Order: SVU -- will return to Off-Broadway next year in the Roundabout Theatre Company's production of Lisa Loomer's Distracted.

Tony and Oscar nominee Amy Ryan co-stars in the upcoming film The Missing Person.

Emmy winner Edie Falco will reunite with her original cast mates from Broadway's Side Man for a special benefit performance on November 10.

Naked Angels' member Bobby Cannavale, another Emmy winner, is scheduled to return to the small screen in Cupid.

Josh Hamilton will co-star in Sam Mendes' upcoming production of The Cherry Orchard, to play BAM in January.

Tony winner Joel Grey has a memorable role in the current film hit Choke.

Adam Guettel, the composer-lyricist of the award-winning The Light in the Piazza, was another opening night guest.

Here's Moises Kaufman, co-creator of The Laramie Project, which will get a special benefit reading by Chicago's About Face company on October 6.

On Tuesday night, the Vineyard Theatre officially opened the sensational Wig Out! written by Tarrell Alvin McCraney and directed by Tina Landau.

Two of the show's standout stars are Joshua Cruz as drag queen Venus and Clifton Oliver as her "housemate" Ms. Nina.

Erik King, well known to fans of Showtime's Dexter, co-stars as the macho Lucian, father of the House of Light.

Angela Grovey, McKenzie Frye, and Rebecca Naomi Jones provide superlative support as the singing Fates 3.

Finally, here's the legendary Eartha Kitt, who stopped backstage to visit with Nathan Lee Graham -- her former co-star in Broadway's The Wild Party -- who gives a fierce portrayal of house mother Rey-Rey.