Dakin Matthews (actor in The History Boys and "Desperate Housewives") directs the Dec. 12-16 run of the Shaw classic as part of the company's "The Play's The Thing" radio theatre series. Performances play the Skirball Cultural Center and are recorded for future broadcast.
Joining stage and screen veterans Burton (The Constant Wife, "Grey's Anatomy") and Rees (A Man of No Importance, "The West Wing") — as Lady Britomart Undershaft and Andrew Undershaft, respectively — will be Kirsten Potter (Tonight at 8:30) as Barbara, Hamish Linklater ("The New Adventures of Old Christine," The Busy World) as Stephen and Missy Yager ("Boston Public," This is Our Youth) as Sarah.
Henri Lubatti (as Adolphus Cusins), JB Blanc (Bill Walker), Amelia White (Rummy Mitchens/Mrs. Baines) and Brian George (Morrison/Peter Shirley) round out the ensemble.
"Barbara is a major in the Salvation Army - but she's also the daughter of Andrew Undershaft, a man who's made millions from the sale of weapons of war," reads show notes. "The real battle, however, rages between the devilish father and his idealistic daughter as they answer the question: does salvation come through faith or finance?"
The season (subject to change) will continue with Bob Clyman's Secret Order (Jan. 16-20, 2008), Jon Robin Baitz's The Paris Letter (Feb. 20-24, 2008), Geoffrey Cowan and Leroy Aarons' Top Secret: The Battle for the Pentagon Papers (March 12-16, 2008), Julie Marie Myatt's Boats on a River (April 9 13, 2008), Noël Coward's Tonight at 8:30 (May 12-18, 2008), Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke (June 18-22, 2008) and Neil Simon's Broadway Bound (July 9-13, 2008). LATW's nationally syndicated radio show "The Play's The Thing" series can be heard in cities across the country, including Boston, Seattle, Albuquerque as well as on XM Satellite radio. The two-hour radio broadcasts include special backstage features and interviews with actors, playwrights and directors. The L.A. Theatre Works Audio Theatre Collection is available in book stores, libraries, through their catalog or digitally on audible.com, the L.A. Theatre Works website and iTunes.
For tickets to any of "The Play's The Thing" productions at the Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Boulevard, call the L.A. Theatre Works box office at (310) 827 0889. For more information visit latw.org.
