In the 1987 comedy by the author of Amadeus, Douffet is a delicious eccentric who gets into hot water with the Preservation Trust when she starts fabricating pieces of history while guiding a tour of a stately 16th-century British home.
Warner Shook will direct the performance, followed by a reception with the cast. The company Lansbury keeps will include Dana Ivey (late of Lincoln Center Theater's Henry IV with Kevin Kline) and Patricia Conolly (Enchanted April, Judgment at Nuremberg).
The Acting Company is America's foremost touring repertory theatre and arts education program.
Tony Award-winner Harriet Harris (Thoroughly Modern Millie), who began her career with The Acting Company, will host the evening being chaired by producer Susan Dietz (Canon Theatricals) and Tom Fontana (Emmy-winning producer and writer of "OZ," "Homicide" and "St. Elsewhere"). Dietz, Fontana and Ivey serve on the board of directors of The Acting Company. Lansbury chairs its actors advisory board.
Angela Lansbury has been involved with The Acting Company since its founding by her friend, the legendary John Houseman, and current producing artistic director Margot Harley, in 1972. Tony Award-winner Lansbury (Mame, Sweeney Todd) received the company's first Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. "They bring the finest theatre to communities across the country, providing an invaluable training ground for young actors," Lansbury said in a statement. "I only wish they'd been around when I started out!"
In addition to Harris, alumni of The Acting Company include Kevin Kline, Frances Conroy, Jeffrey Wright, Jesse L. Martin, Patti LuPone, David Ogden Stiers and David Schramm, some of the 300 alumni actors whose careers began on tour with The Acting Company. The Company has performed in 48 states and nine foreign countries. The troupe received the 2003 Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre.
The Coronet Theatre is at 366 N. La Cienega Blvd. in West Hollywood.
For information and tickets for the March 29 performance and reception, call (310) 859-8001.
