Ensemble Studio Theatre will present the first New York revival of The Traveling Lady, by Horton Foote, at E.S.T. (549 West 52nd Street). Performances begin Wednesday March 1st and continue through Sunday March 19th, with opening night set for Friday March 3rd.
"In
Horton Foote's new version of
The Traveling Lady, a young mother's journey to begin a new life in a small Texas town becomes a desperate journey of survival when she is deserted by her husband after he is released from prison. She is taken in by locals, and when her husband returns, she is drawn into a chaos of lost love, heartbreak and violence," according to press notes.
Curt Dempster, artistic director of E.S.T., a long time producer and director of . Foote's work, states: "When I saw the fine production of
The Traveling Lady at Baylor University at the first
Horton Foote Festival in 2004, I was impressed and moved by this delicate, tough-minded play. I felt it had to be re-introduced to a wider new generation of theatre-goers, and Horton, a venerated E.S.T. member, agreed. Our co-production with Baylor University directed by Baylor MFA Theatre Chairman Marion Castleberry, is also a salute to Horton's great career, and a loving birthday present from E.S.T."
Foote, who has had an association with EST for many years, is an Academy Award-winner for his screenplay adaptation of
To Kill a Mockingbird and for his screenplay to
Tender Mercies, as well as Pulitzer Prize-winner for
The Young Man from Atlanta. His plays include
The Last of the Thorntons, The Carpetbagger's Children, Lily Dale, The Widow Clare, Night Seasons, The Day Emily Married and
The Trip to Bountiful, which is currently receiving a hit revival at Signature Theatre Company.
Castleberry, who is also the founder of the
Horton Foote Society and an acclaimed director and actor, will direct the play, which will feature sets designed by Maruti Evans, costume design by Maggie Lee-Burdorff, lighting design by Jason Jeunette, and sound design by Graham Johnson. Lynn Cohen, Stan Denman, Frank Girardeau, Margot White, Carol Goodheart, Rochelle Oliver, Alice McLane, Jamie Bennett, Matthew Conlon, and Quincy Confoy will be featured in the cast.
Performances will be Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 7:30pm, with special performances Sunday March 5th at 7:30pm, Sunday March 12th at 2pm, and Sunday March 19th at 4pm. For ticket information, call 212-247-4982. For more on E.S.T., visit
www.ensemblestudiotheatre.org.
