The Corn Is Green, with Burton and Ritchie, Opens at the Huntington Jan. 14

By Adam Hetrick
January 14, 2009

Emlyn Williams' The Corn Is Green, starring veteran Broadway actress Kate Burton and her son Morgan Ritchie, officially opens at the Huntington Theatre Company Jan. 14.

Nicholas Martin directs the production, which began performances at the Boston venue Jan. 9 and will continue through Feb. 8. Martin previously directed Burton and Ritchie in the touching work when it was presented at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2007.

Burton returns to the role of the inspiring teacher Miss Moffat, with Ritchie again portraying Morgan Evans, the student whose life she transforms. (Burton is also the goddaughter of playwright Williams.)

The Huntington production also features Will LeBow as The Squire, Bobbie Steinbach as Sarah Pugh, Kristine Nielsen (To Be or Not to Be, Spring Awakening) as Mrs. Watty, Roderick McLachlan as John Goronwy Jones, Mary Faber (Avenue Q, Saved!) as Bessie Wattie, Kathleen McCafferty as Miss Ronberry, Stephen Gabis as Old Tom and Jared Craig as Idwal Morris.

Completing the cast are Danny Bryck, Dan Lovely, Patrick James Lynch, Michael Moran, Brian Vaughan, Lizzie Bassett, Andy Blaustein, Eliza Fichter, Daniel George, Abigail Gillian, Zachary LeClair, Farrell Parker, Raquel Sandler, Sophie Sinclair, Jordan Ben Sobel, Derek St. Pierre and Greg Stone.

	Mary Faber, Roderick McLachlan, and Kristine Nielsen in The Corn is Green
	photo by T. Charles Erickson

The Corn Is Green, according to press notes, "tells the story of idealistic and hardnosed school teacher Miss Moffat (Burton) who moves to a small Welsh mining town to open its first school. When she discovers unexpected promise in a gifted but illiterate teenager (Ritchie), she guides his ascent from bully to brilliant student as the two discover the lasting impact each has on the other’s life."

The Huntington design team includes scenic designer James Noone, costume designer Robert Morgan, lighting designer Frances Aronson and sound designer Drew Levy.

In 2002 Kate Burton received dual Tony nominations: Best Actress in a Play for Hedda Gabler and Best Featured Actress in a Play for The Elephant Man. Burton has also appeared on Broadway in Spring Awakening, The Constant Wife, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, An American Daughter, Company, Jake's Women, Some Americans Abroad, Wild Honey, Doonesbury, Alice in Wonderland and Present Laughter. Her screen credits include "Celebrity," "Ice Storm," "First Wives Club" and "August."

Tickets are available by calling (617) 266-0800 or by visiting www.huntingtontheatre.org. The Huntington Theatre Company performs on the Boston University main stage, located at 264 Huntington Avenue in Boston, MA.