The new staging is set for a May 27 start following the six-times extended run of Twelve Angry Men, which currently holds court at the company's Broadway house through May 8. The Constant Wife opens June 16 for a limited engagement through August 7.
Set in a 1920's London drawing room, The Constant Wife follows the marriage of a top surgeon and his wife. The comedy of manners delivers a twist after a seemingly secret affair between the husband and his wife's friend is revealed.
Burton was last seen on Broadway in 2002 in Hedda Gabler and The Elephant Man — each earning her a Tony Award nomination. She also appeared in Three Sisters in the West End in 2003 and in the films "Unfaithful" and "Stay." Other credits include The Beauty Queen of Leenane, An American Daughter, Jake's Women, Some Americans Abroad, Alice in Wonderland, Present Laughter, London Suite and upcoming "Empire Falls" on HBO, "Shall Not Want" with Maggie Gyllenhall and a recurring role on ABC's "Gray's Anatomy."
Brokaw — who staged Craig Lucas' Reckless earlier this season — was set to direct the non-profit's revival of Peter Nichols' Passion Play, which has since been postponed at the venue due to the long run of the Reginald Rose jury-room drama.
The busy Roundabout also postponed a planned staging of Fool For Love to be directed by Ed Harris for the fall. The company recently joined the producing team for the forthcoming Broadway revival of Glengarry Glen Ross directed by its Assassins collaborator, Joe Mantello. A possible transfer of the new London staging of Sweeney Todd and a new Wallace Shawn adaptation of The Threepenny Opera are in the works for the coming season. The troupe's 2004 2005 Broadway season has included After The Fall, Twelve Angry Men, Pacific Overtures and the upcoming A Streetcar Named Desire. Director Brokaw staged the Manhattan Theatre Club and Second Stage co-production of Reckless on Broadway with Mary Louise Parker. He has also recently staged Afterbirth: Kathy & Mo’s Greatest Hits and reteamed with How I Learned to Drive playwright Paula Vogel on the recent Off-Broadway stagings of The Baltimore Waltz and The Long Christmas Ride Home. Other credits include This Is Our Youth, The Dying Gaul, Lobby Hero, As Bees In Honey Drown in New York and A Little Night Music (Sondheim Celebration/ Kennedy Center) and the world premier of the musical Marty starring John C. Reilly (Boston's Huntington Theatre).
Maugham's The Constant Wife was originally presented on Broadway in 1929 with Ethel Barrymore playing the titular role under the direction of John Gielgud. The work has since been thrice revived on the Broadway boards, the most recent in 1975 starring Ingrid Bergman in the lead — also directed by Gielgud. Joanne Woodward (for the Westport County Playhouse) and Edward Hall (for London's West End) and have also staged the work in recent years.
Additional casting will be announced shortly. Tickets will be available in April through Roundabout Ticket Services at (212) 719-1300. For more information, visit www.roundabouttheatre.org.
