Producers David Richenthal and Mary Beth O'Connor have announced that Annette Bening will star on Broadway in The Female of the Species, written by Joanna Murray-Smith and directed by 2007 Tony winner Michael Mayer, beginning performances Friday, April 11, 2008 at a theatre to be announced. The opening night has been scheduled for Monday, April 28, 2008. The production marks Bening's return to Broadway after 20 years.
The Female of the Species will be produced in association with Los Angeles's
Geffen Playhouse where the play will have its American premiere February 5 – March 16, 2008 in a pre-Broadway engagement.
"In this new play from one of Australia's best known writers,
Annette Bening plays Margot Mason, a feminist literary giant suffering an extreme case of writer's block as deadline after deadline comes and goes on her next book. When a young fan arrives unexpectedly at her country home, Margot's world slowly and comically begins to unravel as family and friends show up and debate the virtues of her best-sellers, her inconsistent world view, and her decidedly un-motherly touch," state press notes.
Annette Bening made her Broadway debut in
Costal Disturbances for which she received a Tony Award nomination. Off-Broadway she appeared in
Spoils of War. Her Los Angeles theatre credits include The Cherry Orchard (Center Theater Group),
Alan Bennett's
Talking Heads (Tiffany Theater), and
Hedda Gabler (
Geffen Playhouse). She also has extensive regional theatre credits. Her film credits include
Running With Scissors (Golden Globe nomination);
Being Julia (Golden Globe Award, National Board of Review Award, Oscar and SAG nominations);
What Planet Are You From?; American Beauty (SAG and BAFTA awards, Oscar and Golden Globe nominations);
In Dreams; The Siege; The Grifters (Oscar nomination);
The American President (Golden Globe nomination);
Mars Attacks! Richard III; Open Range; Love Affair; Bugsy (Golden Globe nomination);
Regarding Henry; Guilty By Suspicion; Valmont; Postcards From The Edge; and
The Great Outdoors. She Bening starred in the HBO television film "Mrs. Harris" (Emmy, SAG, and Golden Globe nominations).
Joanna Murray-Smith is one of Australia's leading playwrights. Her plays have been produced all over the world and been nominated for many awards. They include
Honour, recently produced on the West End with
Diana Rigg and at
The National Theatre with
Eileen Atkins, as well as
Bombshells, Rapture, Nightfall, Redemption and
Love Child. Her novels include
Truce, Judgement Rock and
Sunnyside.
Michael Mayer received the 2007 Tony Award for best director of a musical for
Spring Awakening. His other Broadway credits include
'night, Mother; After the Fall; Thoroughly Modern Millie (Drama Desk Award and Tony nomination);
An Almost Holy Picture; Uncle Vanya; You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Tony nomination);
The Lion in Winter; Side Man (Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards);
A View From the Bridge (Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards and Tony nomination); and
Triumph of Love. He has also directed numerous productions Off-Broadway, reginonally, in national tours and in London, as well as the feature films
A Home at the End of the World and
Flicka.
