Dangerous Liaisons opens officially on Aug. 12 and runs in repertory until Oct. 30 at the Festival Theatre, in Stratford, ON.

McSweeny is artistic director of New York State's Chautauqua Theater Company. He has directed more than 50 productions for leading companies around the U.S. On Broadway, he directed the 2000 production of Gore Vidal's The Best Man.

Dangerous Liaisons, inspired by the 1782 novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, features a cast led by Martha Henry as Mme de Rosemond, Tom McCamus as le Vicomte de Valmont, Seana McKenna as la Marquise de Merteuil, Michael Therriault as Le Chevalier Danceny and Sarah Topham as la Présidente de Tourvel, Bethany Jillard as Cécile Volanges and Yanna McIntosh as Mme de Volanges.

In the battle-of-the-sexes play, according to Stratford, "La Marquise de Merteuil and le Vicomte de Valmont are two French aristocrats who, for their own amusement, plot to seduce and conquer two virtuous women: the virginal Cécile Volanges and the respectably married Mme de Tourvel. The plot thickens when the convoluted scheme sparks unpredictable reactions causing disastrous and even deadly consequences."

The cast also includes Quincy Armorer, Paul Dunn, Martha Farrell, Barbara Fulton, Bruce Godfree, Adrian Griffin, Stacie Steadman, Sanjay Talwar and Brigit Wilson. The staging is designed by Tony Award winner Santo Loquasto (sets and costumes), Robert Thomson (lighting), Michael Roth (musical consultant), Todd Charlton (sound), Shona Morris (movement coach) and Todd Campbell (fight director).

To purchase tickets call the box office at (800) 567-1600 or visit the Festival online at www.stratfordshakespearefestival.com.

*

The Stratford Shakespeare Festival runs until Nov. 6, featuring As You Like It; Kiss Me, Kate; The Tempest; Evita; Peter Pan; The Winter's Tale; Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris; For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again; Do Not Go Gentle; The Two Gentlemen of Verona; and King of Thieves.