MICHAEL KEATON (Frank Logan / Director)

After appearing in guest spots in several television series as a young actor (including opposite a then-unknown Jim Belushi in the sitcom “Working Stiffs”), Michael Keaton became one of the industry’s most reliable leading men after his first two films Night Shift and Mr. Mom were back-to-back blockbusters. Over the next several years, Keaton starred in such memorable comedies as Johnny Dangerously, Gung Ho, and The Dream Team, as well as playing the title character in Tim Burton’s beloved Beetlejuice. Keaton defied critics and wowed audiences as he turned to darker, more serious fare, including working with Burton again in Batman and Batman Returns; as a recovering addict in Glenn Gordon Caron’s Clean and Sober; and as a nefarious and deadly tenant in John Schlesinger’s Pacific Heights.

Keaton’s other credits include Much Ado About Nothing directed by Kenneth Branagh as the loveable Dogberry; Ron Howard’s The Paper; Harold Ramis’ Multiplicity; Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown; and Barbet Schroeder’s Desperate Measures. On television, in addition to hosting Saturday Night Live and lending his vocal talents to The Simpsons and King of the Hill, Keaton starred in the HBO telefilm Live from Baghdad, which earned him a Golden Globe Nomination. Recently, Keaton appeared as the president in First Daughter; starred in Michael Hoffman’s Game 6; opposite Lindsay Lohan in Herbie Fully Loaded; and in the horror hit White Noise. In addition, he voiced a character in Pixar’s hit Cars and will take on the role of Noah in the upcoming animated Noah’s Ark: The New Beginning.

The Merry Gentleman marks Michael Keaton’s directorial debut; he served as executive producer for the 1999 film Body Shots.

KELLY MACDONALD (Kate Frazier)

A native of Glasgow, Scotland, Kelly Macdonald first made herself known in the role of Diane in the 1996 smash Trainspotting, opposite Ewan MacGregor and Robert Carlyle. Her subsequent roles include the acclaimed Stella Does Tricks; opposite Daniel Craig in Some Voices; Cousin Bette with Jessica Lange; Elizabeth with Cate Blanchett; Gregg Araki’s Splendor; Phil Joanou’s Entropy; Mike Figgis’ The Loss of Sexual Innocence; and the independent Two Family House, which earned her a Spirit Award nomination for Best Female Lead.

In 2000, Macdonald appeared as the meek Mary in Robert Altman’s Gosford Park, for which she shared numerous ensemble acting awards, including the prestigious SAG Award for Best Ensemble. That lead to a starring role in the British television series State of Play, and cameos in hits like Finding Neverland (as Peter Pan), A Cock and Bull Story, and The Hitch-hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. In 2005, Macdonald won accolades and an Emmy Award for her performance in the original HBO film The Girl in the Café, co-starring with Bill Nighy. Her recent roles include Nanny McPhee with Emma Thompson, Lassie with Peter O’Toole and Samantha Morton, and the Coen Brothers’ acclaimed No Country for Old Men. Her other upcoming films include Choke, written and directed by Clark Gregg and based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk, and starring Angelica Huston; and Bertrand Tavernier’s In the Electric Mist with Tommy Lee Jones and Mary Steenburgen.

TOM BASTOUNES (Murcheson / Producer)

A native of the Chicago land area and a graduate of Purdue University, Tom Bastounes is CEO of Auster Acquisitions LLC, and owner and founder of South Water Pictures, the Chicago- based production company which developed The Merry Gentleman. South Water previously produced The Opera Lover, which was also filmed in Chicago. As an actor, Bastounes has performed on stage at Second City in Chicago, and played the lead in The Opera Lover.

BOBBY CANAVALE (Michael)

Born in New Jersey and raised in Florida, Bobby Cannavale has been working in film and television for over a decade. He has landed regular and recurring roles on series such as “Trinity,” “Third Watch,” “100 Centre Street,” “Ally McBeal,” “Six Feet Under,” “Knights of Prosperity,” and guest stints on “Law and Order,” “Law and Order: Criminal Intent,” HBO’s “Oz” and “Sex in the City.” He earned an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 1998 for his stint on NBC’s “Will and Grace.” His feature film credits include Gloria, The Bone Collector, Washington Heights, The Guru, and The Station Agent. Recently, Cannavale’s films include Shall We Dance with Richard Gere, Don Roos’ black comedy Happy Endings, Richard Linklater’s Fast Food Nation, the cult thriller Snakes on a Plane, and the comedy The Ten with Jessica Alba. Cannavale will soon be seen in Spike Lee’s M.O.N.Y., opposite Famke Janssen in the thriller 100 Feet, with Matthew Broderick in Diminished Capacity, and Brief Interviews with Hideous Men written and directed by John Krasninski (NBC’s “The Office”). Cannavale made his Broadway debut in Theresa Rebeck’s play Mauritius this fall, with Allison Pill, Dylan Baker and F. Murray Abraham. He also received rave reviews in the acclaimed Off-Broadway revival of David Rabe's Hurlyburly starring opposite Ethan Hawke, Josh Hamilton and Wallace Shawn. His career began in the theatre and he has worked at the Lee Strasberg Institute, Naked Angels, Circle Rep, The Public, Williamstown and The Roundabout.

DARLENE HUNT (Diane)

Darlene Hunt’s professional acting credits include guest stints on popular television shows like “Becker,” “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” and “Will and Grace.” On screen, she was seen in The King, I Heart Huckabees and Idiocracy. Currently, Darlene is developing two pilots for Sony and Paramount. Prior to that, Darlene starred in the series “Help Me Help You” for ABC. In the past, she developed her pilot “Platonically Incorrect,” for ABC, and worked as Executive Story Editor on “Good Morning Miami” and wrote for “Will and Grace.”


GUY VAN SWEARINGEN (Goldman)

Guy Van Swearingen is a native Chicagoan. During his high school years, he found a great affinity for the live theater, and went on to major in theater at Truman College, Northeastern Illinois University, and Loyola University. With five years of College and still no degree, he signed up for the Firefighter’s entrance exam (at the behest of his dear mother) and soon became a member of Chicago Fire Department. Fifteen years ago, he helped found A Red Orchid Theatre in Chicago where he is currently Artistic Director.
Shows with A Red Orchid include The Connection, Cops, Victims of Duty, Seven Stories, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, The Questioning of Nick³, Canus Lunis Balloonis, ‘Tis Pity She’s A Whore, The Removalists, The Killer, The Cut, Bug, Gagarin Way, The Sea Horse and Blasted.

Shows with other theaters include Come Like Shadows with Plasticene, Eleven Rooms of Proust with The Lookingglass Theatre, Beyond Mozambique with the Mary Arrchie Theatre, Taking Care and The Time of Your Life with the Steppenwolf Theatre.
Since making his debut in the 1993 film Mad Dog and Glory with Robert DeNiro and Uma Thurman, his film credits include The Negotiator with Samuel L. Jackson, Ali with Will Smith, The Weatherman with Nicolas Cage, and Adam Rapp’s Blackbird. His television credits include the series Turks and Early Edition.


WILLIAM DICK (Mr. Weiss)

William Dick has had the good fortune to have worked with some wonderful film directors and actors recently, including in Robert Altman’s The Company where he played Malcom McDowell’s aide-de-camp, Eduard. He also appeared with John Cusack and Billy Bob thornton in Harold Ramis’ Ice Harvest; with Jennifer Aniston in The Break-Up; with Will Ferrell in Marc Forster’s Stranger Than Fiction; with Vince Vaughn in the boxoffice hit Fred Claus (as the group therapy leader of “Siblings Anonymous”); and with Dennis Quaid in the upcoming The Express. William is based in Chicago, where he is a familiar face to Chicago theater-goers and in regional theaters. He has performed at the Goodman Theater as Ben Hecht in the world-premiere of Moonlight and Magnolias; in the mid-west premieres of Edward Albee’s The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?, and Alan Ayckbourne’s twin plays House and Garden; Rebecca Gillman’s Spinning Into Butter; and Eric Bogosian’s Griller. At the Steppenwolf Theater, he appeared in the world premiere of Bruce Norris’ We All Went Down to Amsterdam. He has also performed extensively with Chicago Shakespeare Theater in roles such as Touchstone in As You Like It, Etienne in David Ives’ adaptation of A Flea in Her Ear, and also in productions of The Merchant of Venice, Troilus and Cressida, Cymbeline, The Two Noble Kinsmen, Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.