Readings and WorkshopsChalk Garden Benefit, Starring Angela Lansbury, Presented June 19The one-night-only event benefits The Acting Company.
By
Andrew Gans
June 19, 2017
Angela Lansbury
Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Patricia Conolly
A benefit reading of Enid Bagnold’s The Chalk Garden is presented June 19 at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College at 7 PM.
Presented by The Acting Company in association with Andrew Bryan and Opus Blue Productions, the company is headed by multiple Tony winner Angela Lansbury. Frank Dunlop directs.
The company also features Tedra Millan (Present Laughter, The Wolves) as Laurel, Patricia Conolly (The Front Page), Michele Tauber (Mint Theatre’s The Charity That Began at Home), Holly Villaire (Scapino), Francesca Faridany (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) as Miss Madrigal, Simon Jones (Blithe Spirit, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) as the Judge, David Lansbury (War Horse) as Maitland, and Charlotte Parry (The Importance of Being Earnest) as Olivia.
“After many younger years as a London society hostess,” press notes state, “Mrs. 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.”
The reading also features 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: 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 hunter.cuny.edu/KayePlayhouse or by phone at (212) 772-4448. General tickets are priced from $150 to $350.
