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Leigh and Leigh Join Forces for The New Group's Abigail's Party
By: BWW News Desk Jun. 23, 2005
Directed by Scott Elliott (artistic director of The New Group), the play is set in 70's London, and is a caustic exploration of suburban middle class lives as a number of neigbors get together at the soirée of the title.
Leigh most recently appeared on Broadway in Proof, a performance for which she received strong notices; she had previously starred as Sally Bowles in Cabaret. She has also been seen in Picnic at the Ahmanson Theater and Sunshine at Circle Rep. An accomplished film actress, her credits include Road to Perdition, The Anniversary Party (a colloaboration with Alan Cumming that she co-wrote and co-directed), Washington Square, Kansas City, Georgia, Dolores Claiborne, Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (for which she received the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe nomination for her performance as Dorothy Parker), Single White Female, Miami Blues, Last Exit to Brooklyn, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
An Oscar-nominated screenwriter and director as well as playwright, Leigh is known for an unflinching social realism in his work. His plays include Smelling a Rat, Goose-pimples and Ecstasy, while Vera Drake, All or Nothing, Topsy Turvy and Secrets and Lies are some of his films. A movie version of Abigail's Party was made in 1977; and the work also received an Olivier nomination for Best Revival of 2002 when it was performed at the New Ambassador's Theatre.
The New Group will follow up Abigail's Party with the world premiere of The Music Teacher, a play-opera by Wallace Shawn with music by Allan Shawn.
For more information, visit www.thenewgroup.org.
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