Betty Buckley to Star in London Revival of DEAR WORLD

Tony Award winner Betty Buckley will be playing the "Madwoman of Chaillot," the Countess Aurelia, in a London revival of Jerry Herman's DEAR WORLD at Charing Cross Theatre, according to Buckley's Facebook and Twitter pages. Rehearsals begin in December 2012 under the direction of Gillian Lynne, and the show is set to open in February 2013, running for eight weeks until the end of March.

DEAR WORLD features book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. It opened on Broadway in 1969 starring Angela Lansbury, who won a Tony Award for her portrayal of the Countess Aurelia. The story is based on Jean Giraudoux's play THE MADWOMAN OF CHAILLOT.

Betty Buckley won a Tony Award for her performance as Grizabella, the Glamour Cat, in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS. She received her second Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a musical for her performance as Hesione in TRIUMPH OF LOVE, and an Olivier Award nomination for her critically acclaimed interpretation of Norma Desmond in the London production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s SUNSET BOULEVARD, which she repeated on Broadway.

Her other Broadway credits include 1776, PIPPIN, SONG AND DANCE, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD and CARRIE. Off-Broadway credits include WHITE’S LIES, Lincoln Center’s ELEGIES, the original NYSF production of EDWIN DROOD, THE EROS TRILOGY and JUNO SWANS.

Her newest CD, "Ah Men: The Boys of Broadway," is set for release on August 28.