Prince of Whalers

A Special Benefit for the Charles W. Morgan Restoration

Cast and Production:

BRIAN DENNEHY — Nominated for six Emmys, Brian's screen career has included "Kojak," "Lou Grant," "Dallas," "Just Shoot Me!" and "Law & Order," "Special Victims Unit," and voice work in "Ratatouille," "South Park" and "The Simpsons." On stage, Brian has won two Tony Awards for Best Leading Actor, his first in "Death of a Salesman," and the second for "Long Day's Journey into Night." Brian serves as a member of the Mystic Seaport International Council.

JOE GRIFASI — Broadway credits include: "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," "The Accidental Death of an Anarchist," "Dinner at Eight," "The 1940's Radio Hour," "Happy End" and "The Play's the Thing." Off-Broadway: "The Boys Next Door" (Drama Desk Nomination), "Conversations in Tusculum," "Says I Says He," "Filumena and Hughie." Directing Credits: "One Slight Hitch," "The 39 Steps," "The Firebugs," "Heaven Can Wait," and "A Cup of Coffee." His fifty-plus film appearances include "Presumed Innocent," "The Deer Hunter," "Big Business," "Matewan," "The Naked Gun," "Natural Born Killers," "Chances Are," "F/X," "Benny & Joon," "The Pope of Greenwich Village," "Brewster's Millions," "Batman Forever," "The Flamingo Kid," and "Ironweed." His television work includes "Law & Order," "ER," "The Bronx is Burning" (as Yogi Berra), "LA Law," "Chicago Hope," "Rosanne" and "The Practice."

LINDA HART — Linda originated Velma Von Tussle in Broadway's Tony-winning "Hairspray;" "Anything Goes" (Lincoln Center, Theatre World Award); "Sid Caesar & Company" on Broadway; "Divine Madness" and "De Tour" with Bette Midler; "The Great American Trailer Park Musical;" the critically acclaimed "Gemini" (Second Stage); "A Flea in Her Ear" (Chicago Shakespeare); "Light Up the Sky" (Drama-Logue Award); "Livin' Dolls" (MTC and L.A. Coast Theatre, Best Acting Award). Film: "Tin Cup," "A Perfect World," "Get Shorty," "The Insider," "Stella," "Beautiful," "The Best of Times." TV: a lot - Mazeppa in "Gypsy," Alex Haley's "Queen," series regular on Fox's "The Winner." Recent Carnegie Hall debut with the New York Pops. Twelve albums with her Grammy-winning Gospel-singing family, The Harts. Next: "Piece of My Heart." Linda is married to William Forster, long-time Trustee and former Chairman of Mystic Seaport.

MARIA TUCCI -- Maria Tucci has worked extensively on Broadway; some of the productions include the recent acclaimed Broadway production of "Mary Stuart," "Night of the Iguana," "The Rose Tattoo" (Tony nomination), "A Lesson From Aloes" (Tony award),"Substance of Fire," "Mrs. Warren's Profession," "Collected Stories," "Filumena" (which she also translated) "The Seagull," and many others. She has done endless Shakespearean heroines who die in the last act. She is currently writing a play which had it's first reading this summer in Williamstown.

GEOFF KAUFMAN with DAVID LITTLEFIELD and RICK SPENCER — For the past thirty years, Geoff Kaufman has been leading audiences to find truth, humor, and beauty in folk music. Whether singing sailor songs during his 27 years at Mystic Seaport; or environmental songs on board the sloop Clearwater in the Hudson River; or in solo performances at coffeehouses throughout the Northeast United States and festivals in Europe, Geoff has entertained and touched audiences near and far. At Mystic Seaport Geoff has performed duties as Interpreter, Roleplayer, Chanteyman, and from 1986-2000 Coordinator of Music Programs and Director of the annual Sea Music Festival. For this performance Geoff is joined by David Littlefield and Rick Spencer, two longtime friends, former Museum chanteymen and fellow members of the internationally acclaimed quartet Forebitter which for fifteen years carried Mystic Seaport's banner across the U.S., Canada and Europe.

GEORGE WHITE — George founded the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Connecticut in 1964 to foster the growth of theater in America through the development of new writing and training of theater people. The Center hosts The National Playwrights Conference, The National Critics Institute, The National Music Theater Conference, Monte Cristo Cottage, The National Puppetry Conference, and the Cabaret Symposium. He began his career in theater at the age of 19 managing the International Ballet Festival in Nervi, Italy. From 1978 to 1992, he co chaired the Theater Management Program at the Yale School of Drama. He is founding chairman of the Sundance Institute and a board member of the Metropolitan Opera Guild. He served as a commissioner for the Connecticut Commission on the Arts for 14 years. He received a presidential appointment as a member of the National Council on the Arts and served as a member of the Antoinette Perry (Tony) Awards Nominating Committee. George has directed numerous off-Broadway, regional, and international theater productions. He serves as Chairman of the International Council at Mystic Seaport and is the mastermind, writer and director of the "Prince of Whalers" benefit show for the Charles W. Morgan whaleship.

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