Previews at the Minerva are scheduled to begin Sept. 11 with an official opening Sept. 25. The limited engagement will play through Oct. 11.

The play, based on material in Peter Evans' book "Nemesis," covers the last years of Onassis' life, and is directed by Nancy Meckler, artistic director of Shared Experience who has also recently directed The Comedy of Errors and Romeo and Juliet for the RSC. Sherman's previous plays include Bent (premiered at the Royal Court in 1979 in a production that subsequently transferred to the West End's Criterion Theatre, and revived in productions at the National Theatre in 1990 and at the Trafalgar Studios in 2006; and also seen on Broadway in 1980), Rose (premiered at the National Theatre in 1999 with Olympia Dukakis, and subsequently seen on Broadway in 2000) and the book for The Boy From Oz (Broadway in 2003).

Lindsay was most recently seen on the London stage in John Osborne's The Entertainer at the Old Vic in 2007; other roles include playing Fagin in Oliver! at the London Palladium (for which he received the Olivier Award for Best Acotr in a Musical) and the lead role in Me and My Girl, both in the West End and on Broadway, where he received a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

McGovern previously appeared at Chichester Festival Theatre in The Scarlet Letter in 2005, and her London stage appearances include The Misanthrope at the Young Vic, Hurlyburly at the Old Vic, Three Days of Rain at the Donmar Warehouse and Dinner with Friends at Hampstead Theatre. The American-born actress, who has long been resident in the U.K., made her film debut in Robert Redford's 1980 feature "Ordinary People" and was subsequently Oscar-nominated for her appearance in "Ragtime." Other film roles include "Once Upon a Time in America," "Johnny Handsome," "The Handmaid's Tale" and "The Wings of a Dove."

Quick is still remembered for her role in the TV series "Brideshead Revisited"; her most recent London stage appearances were in You Never Can Tell (transferred from Bath's Theatre Royal to the Garrick in 2005) and After Mrs. Rochester (Duke of York's in 2003, where she was also directed by Meckler). The cast also includes Joe Marsh as Onassis' son Alexandros, Denise Black, Julius D'Silva, Ben Grove, John Hodgkinson, Robin Soans and June Watson.

For tickets contact the box office at 01243 781312 or visit www.cft.org.uk.