Tony and Academy Award nominee Kathleen Turner makes her directorial debut with Beth Henley's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, which takes place when "the Magrath sisters reunite at Old Granddaddy's home in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. Old resentments bubble to the surface as they're forced to deal with assorted relatives and past relationships while coping with the latest incident to disrupt their lives," according to press notes.
The cast for the Williamstown production features Patch Darragh (Our Town, All That I Will Ever Be), Jennifer Dundas (Arcadia, The Little Foxes), Sarah Paulson (The Glass Menagerie, television's "Studio 60"), Lily Rabe (Steel Magnolias, Heartbreak House), Kali Rocha (Noises Off, In the Summer House) and Chandler Williams (Translations, Street Scene).
The Crimes of the Heart creative team comprises costume designer Christal Weatherly, lighting designer Charles Foster, scenic designer Kris Stone and sound designer Drew Levy.
Crimes of the Heart runs through Aug. 19 on the Nikos Stage at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. An additional matinee has been added on Aug. 17 to meet increased ticket demand for the production. Tickets are available by logging on to wtfestival.org, by calling (413) 597-3400 or by visiting the Festival box office.
* In addition, those New Yorkers wishing to catch Crimes of the Heart and the upcoming The Autumn Garden at Williamstown can purchase a day trip package to the festival for Aug. 18.
A chartered bus will leave from Bryant Park, on 42nd Street, departing at 9:30 AM. Upon arrival, theatregoers will have time for lunch on their own at any of the restaurants on Spring Street, a short walk from the theatre.
The productions presented will be a 4 PM performance of Henley’s Crimes of the Heart. After a break for dinner, an 8:30 PM performance of Lillian Hellman's The Autumn Garden —starring Elizabeth Franz, Mamie Gummer, Jessica Hecht, John Benjamin Hickey and Allison Janney — will be presented. David Jones directs.
The cost of the day-trip is $160 plus a $5 ordering fee, including round-trip motor coach transportation as well as tickets to both shows. Tickets for the package may be purchased by calling the Festival box office at (413) 597-3400. The deadline for making reservations is Aug. 11.
