Huntington's artistic director Nicholas Martin (Observe the Sons of Ulster...) will direct the Simon Gray comedy, Jan. 2-Feb. 1, 2004.

Lane, who recently made secret guest appearances on Broadway in The Play What I Wrote, won Tony Awards for his turns in The Producers and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Other credits include The Man Who Came to Dinner, Guys and Dolls, Love! Valour! Compassion! and Laughter on the 23rd Floor.

The busy Lane, who stars in the current CBS television comedy "Charlie Lawrence," will also be part of the upcoming Lincoln Center Theater season. He will star in the staging of Burt Shevelove's adaptation of Aristophanes' comedy The Frogs — featuring with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, choreography and direction by Susan Stroman — and has done some rewriting for the work.

In Butley, Lane will play the title role as a literary professor who loses his wife and lover in the same day. The dark comedy set in a London university opened at the Morosco Theatre on Broadway Oct. 31, 1972. British thespian Alan Bates (Fortune's Fool), who originated the title role in the Harold Pinter-helmed London production (for which he won the Evening Standard Best Actor Award) reprised his portrayal to Tony Award-winning success.

About a decade ago, a Lane Butley was talked about for the Roundabout Theatre Company. The announcement of Butley completes Huntington's six-play 2003-2004 season which runs as follows: (subject to change)