Tony winner Elizabeth Ashley assays faded Southern belle Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie Aug. 24-Sept. 22, the season opener for Houston's Alley Theatre. Hartford Stage Company artistic director Michael Wilson (The Carpetbagger's Children) directs the production, previously produced at Hartford Stage April 5-May 12 with Andrew McCarthy (Side Man).
Ashley took home her Tony for Take Her, She's Mine which also starred Art Carney. She was also nominated for Barefoot in the Park opposite Robert Redford and the 1974's revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Amanda is the sixth major Tennessee Williams' role Ashley has played. There is no word if filmdom's McCarthy will join the Alley production.
After the Hartford staging, this Menagerie moved on American Repertory Theatre's Loeb Drama Center June 19-July 11 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In the cast at that time were Wrong Mountain's Anne Dudek and The Miser's Willis Sparks will fill out the cast as Laura, the sheltered daughter and her Gentleman Caller.
The Alley, for its part, is sending Hartford The Carpetbagger's Children, which will play the Connecticut venue Sept. 6-23. The new Horton Foote drama, which stars Hallie Foote, Roberta Maxwell, and Jean Stapleton, premiered at the Alley June 1.
Tickets to The Glass Menagerie are $50-$35. The Alley Theatre is located at 615 Texas Avenue. For reservations, call (713) 228-8421 or (800) 259-ALLE. The Alley Theatre is on the web at http://www.alleytheatre.com. — By Christine Ehren
