Buckley will play the role of Mrs. White for the first eight weeks of the run. She joins a cast that includes the previously reported Scott Patterson, Peter Scolari, Christy Carlson Romano, Rena Strober and Jimmy Ray Bennett. Producers of the Ben Andron play, which officially opens April 12, are Aaron Grant, Jana Robbins, Jeremy Handelman, Craig Haffner and Karl E. Held; Bob Cline directs.
In a statement, playwright Andron said, "To have someone whose work on stage is so legendary, bringing my words to life, is an unbelievable honor. I am excited & humbled to have the opportunity to work with Betty Buckley."
"Some guys are scared stiff at the prospect of settling down, getting married, having kids & Joe White is no exception," according to White's Lies press notes. "He's a divorce lawyer, representing one of his many ex-girlfriends & above all else, he's a bachelor who wouldn't have it any other way. So when his mother desperately wants him to start a family, he'll do the next best thing: make one up! What could go wrong? Only love, in the outrageous new comedy White's Lies."
Betty Buckley offered acclaimed performances in Sunset Boulevard, Carrie, Song & Dance, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, 1776 and Promises, Promises. She won a Tony Award for her performance as Grizabella in the Broadway production of Cats, and she starred on the London stage in Promises, Promises and Sunset Boulevard, earning an Olivier Award nomination for her work in the latter. Also a TV ("Eight Is Enough") and film ("Tender Mercies") star, the actress-singer devotes much of her time to concert appearances around the world. Her solo CD, "Stars and the Moon: Betty Buckley Live at the Donmar Warehouse," was nominated for a Grammy Award and is available on the Concord Records label. The actress was also seen on the final three seasons of the acclaimed HBO series "Oz" as well as in the Lincoln Center revue, Elegies: A Song Cycle. Buckley's newest recordings, "Quintessence" and "Betty Buckley 1967," are both available on the Playbill Records/Sony BMG Masterworks Broadway label. Buckley also scored raves for her work as Mrs. Jones in "The Happening" and for her new concert act, Broadway By Request.
New World Stages is located in Manhattan at 340 West 50th Street. For tickets, priced $60 and $75, call (212) 239-6200 or visit www.whitesliesonstage.com.
