Additional casting has been announced for the Acting Company's June 19 benefit reading of Enid Bagnold鈥檚 The Chalk Garden. The performnace will take place at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College.
Presented by The Acting Company in association with Andrew Bryan and Opus Blue Productions, the cast will be headed by multiple Tony winner Angela Lansbury. Frank Dunlop will direct.
Joining Lansbury onstage will be her nephew David Lansbury (War Horse) as Maitland, Francesca Faridany (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) as Miss Madrigal, Simon Jones (Blithe Spirit, The Hitchhiker鈥檚 Guide to the Galaxy) as the Judge, and Charlotte Parry (The Importance of Being Earnest) as Olivia. Final casting will be announced soon.
鈥淎fter many younger years as a London society hostess,鈥� press notes state, 鈥淢rs. Saint Maugham (Lansbury) fills her days tending her garden at her country estate. When she seeks a governess for her granddaughter, Laurel (whose habit of setting small fires is getting a bit out of hand) the child connects instantly with Miss Madrigal, an enigmatic woman who has come without any references. Who, exactly, is this Madrigal? With a talent for gardening and avoiding questions, she fascinates the equally inscrutable Laurel, who can never resist a mystery...especially if it might involve murder.鈥�
The reading will also have lighting by Greg MacPherson, sound by Tim Boyce, and projections by Rocco DiSanti.
The performance will be followed by an intimate dinner with the cast at the Union Club. This portion of the evening is only available at certain ticket levels.
Check out photos from Lansbury's award-winning career below:
Hotel Paradiso
A Taste of Honey
Angela Lansbury and company of A Little Family Business, 1982
Angela Lansbury in A Little Family Business, 1982
Angela Lansbury and John McMartin in A Little Family Business, 1982
Angela Lansbury in Mame, 1966
Angela Lansbury in Mame, 1966
Mary Louise Wilson, Zan Charisse, and Angela Lansbury in Gypsy
Zan Charisse, Angela Lansbury, and Rex Robbins in Gypsy
Angela Lansbury and Zan Charisse in Gypsy
Angela Lansbury and children in The King and I
Angela Lansbury in The King and I
Angela Lansbury in Sweeney Todd
Angela Lansbury
A limited number of donor-level tickets are on sale through The Acting Company by calling (212) 258-3111. Donor tickets with priority seating without dinner are $500. Tickets with dinner start at $1,000. Show-only tickets may be purchased through The Kaye online at or by phone at (212) 772-4448. General tickets are priced from $150 to $350.
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