Stage and film star Eileen Brennan plays the selfish, tormenting mother of The Beauty Queen of Leenane in the Virginia Stage Company production of Martin McDonagh's play. The mounting opened Jan. 22 under Jeannette Lambermont's direction. The play began performances Jan. 17 and ends its scheduled run Feb. 7.

Brennan received an Oscar nomination for her performance in the comedy "Private Benjamin." Other films include "The Last Picture Show," "The Sting," "Murder by Death" and "This Boy's Life." She is not a stranger to McDonagh's work. Earlier this year, she acted in the playwright's The Cripple of Inishmaan at New York's Public Theatre.

Brennan's fellow cast member include Bernadette Quigley, David McCann and Greg McFadden.

The Beauty Queen of Leenane continues to run at Broadway's Walter Kerr Theatre; McDonagh's The Cripple of Inishmaan played at the Public Theatre last season.

After Beauty Queen abdicates, Virginia Stage will mount William Finn's musical Falsettos, starting Feb. 21. Miss Saigon Tony nominee Willy Falk will play Mendel the psychiatrist; Erica Green is Trina. The Importance of Being Earnest follows in April. For information on Virginia Stage's mounting of Beauty Queen, call (757) 627-1234.