VALERIE HARPER STARS IN THE TALE OF THE ALLERGIST'S WIFE
January 6, 2003, Hartford, CT - Valerie Harper will star in the Tony(r) nominated hit Broadway comedy, The Tale of The Allergist's Wife coming to The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts from February 4-9, 2003 in the Phoenix Broadway Series. Ticket prices are $15.00-$55.00. Tickets for all performances are available by calling 860-987-5900, online at www.bushnell.org, or by visiting The Bushnell Box Office located at 166 Capitol Avenue in Hartford. For group information, please call 860-987-5959.
Written by Charles Busch and directed by Lynne Meadow, The Tale of The Allergist's Wife is the smart and witty tale of Marjorie Taub (played by Valerie Harper), a culture-obsessed upper-middle-class New Yorker whose mid-life crisis deepens when her glamorous, childhood friend Lee (played by Jana Robbins) reappears for a mysterious visit. Marjorie's highly accomplished husband, Ira, is played by Mike Burstyn. The cast also includes Sondra James, as Marjorie's eccentrically vocal mother, and Jonathan Hova as Mohammed, the Taubs' philosophical doorman. This deliciously devious social satire is filled with wicked fun and delightful surprises.
The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, was originally produced at Manhattan Theatre Club before opening on Broadway in November 2000 to unanimous critical acclaim. "An intelligently funny and satirically relevant comedy," raved John Simon in New York Magazine. "An uproarious comedy," enthused The New York Times. The Daily News calls it "Irresistibly hilarious" and Rosie O'Donnell says it's "the funniest play I have ever seen in my life." The Tale of the Allergist's Wife received three 2001 Tony Award nominations, including Best Play.
Valerie Harper is best known for her role as Rhoda Morgenstern in "Rhoda" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (four Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Award, Harvard's Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year and Hollywood Women's Press Club Golden Apple Awards). Most recently Ms. Harper appeared on the New York stage in the off-Broadway productions of All Under Heaven, a one-woman play that she co-wrote, and in Death Defying Acts by Elaine May and Woody Allen. Her other Broadway credits include: Paul Sills' Story Theater and Metamorphoses, Carl Reiner's Something Different, Subways are for Sleeping, Wildcat, Take Me Along, Destry Rides Again, and Li'l Abner. Television specials: Neil Simon's "The Trouble with People," Norman Lear's "I Love Liberty," "The Shadow Box" (directed by Paul Newman), "Edna St. Vincent Millay," "Innocence on Trial." She has starred in eighteen television films and appeared as a special guest star on "Sex and the City," "Family Law," "Three Sisters," "That 70s Show," "Touched by an Angel," "Melrose Place," and "Perry Mason." For more information, visit www.valerieharper.com.
Jana Robbins has performed on Broadway in Good News, I Love My Wife, Romance/Romance, Crimes of the Heart and Gypsy. Other theater credits include Reva in Hurrah at Last, Dr. Livingstone in Agnes of God, and Dr. Brookner in The Normal Heart. On tour: Aldonza in Man of La Mancha and Ethel McCormick in Footloose. TV: "Cheers," "Roseanne," "Babylon 5," "JAG," and "General Hospital." Film: Executive Target with Roy Scheider, The Last Days of Frankie the Fly with Dennis Hopper. Cabaret Act: One Hell of a Ride! (the songs of Cy Coleman). More info: www.JanaRobbins.net.
Mike Burstyn has been seen on Broadway in Ain't Broadway Grand (Outer Critics Circle nomination), Encores' Fiorello, Barnum, Inquest,andThe Megilla. Off-Broadway: The Rothschilds (Drama Desk nomination) and The Prisoner Of Second Avenue. Regional: Jolson (National Tour), Berlin To Broadway, Guys & Dolls, Fiddler On The Roof. TV: "Q.B. VII," "The Kennedy Center Honors," "As The World Turns," "The Cosby Mysteries," "Law And Order," HBO's "Dog Watch." For more information: www.mikeburstyn.com.
Charles Busch is the author of such plays as Psycho Beach Party, Times Square Angel, The Lady in Question, Red Scare on Sunset, You Should Be So Lucky, Queen Amarantha, Shanghai Moon and Flipping My Wig. He wrote the book for the musical The Green Heart, which was produced by Manhattan Theatre Club. His Off-Broadway play Vampire Lesbians in Sodom ran for five years. He wrote a new libretto for the 1955 musical Ankles Aweigh for Goodspeed Opera and adapted the book of the Truman Capote/Harold Arlen musical House of Flowers for a tour with Patti LaBelle. In 1996, Mr. Busch starred in the Off-Broadway musical Swingtime Canteen, which he also co-authored. He has written the screenplay and is appearing in the film version of his play Psycho Beach Party, which opened this past summer. For more information visit www.charlesbusch.com.
Lynne Meadow has been Artistic Director of Manhattan Theatre Club since 1972, where she has been responsible for directing and producing over 400 New York and world premieres, including the MTC and Broadway productions of The Tale of the Allergist's Wife. Other directing credits include Leslie Ayvazian's Nine Armenians (Drama Desk Nomination, Best Director), Alan Ayckbourn's Woman in Mind (Drama Desk Nomination, Best Director) and the Broadway production of A Small Family Business.
The creative team includes set design by Santo Loquasto, costumes by Ann Roth, lighting by Christopher Akerlind and sound by Bruce Ellman and Brian Ronan.
Ticket and Performance Information - Tickets for The Tale of the Allergist's Wife starring Valerie Harper are available at The Bushnell Box Office, located at 166 Capitol Avenue in Hartford. To charge by phone, call (860) 987-5900 or buy online at www.bushnell.org. Performance dates are February 4-9, 2003. Curtain times are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. Ticket prices range from $15.00 to $55.00. Groups of 20 or more should call (860) 987-5959. About The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts - The Bushnell is Connecticut's premier performing arts center, hosting more than 450 events yearly, including major Broadway tours, symphony orchestras, family presentations, local arts and community events. In November 2001, The Bushnell completed a $45 million expansion project that added a second, 908-seat theater to the existing historic structure. The new, state-of-the-art performance hall allows for expanded arts, entertainment and community offerings. The Bushnell's nationally-recognized arts-in-education program, PARTNERS (Partners in Arts and Education Revitalizing Schools), is a cross-community educational effort serving 40 schools in 17 districts throughout the Greater Hartford area. The Bushnell opened in January 1930 and is a non-profit organization. For more information, call The Bushnell at (860) 987-6000, The Bushnell Box Office at (860) 987-5900 or visit our website at www.bushnell.org.