Photo Flash: Walsh-Smith's 'The Last Journey' at Westport

Last Monday, January 22nd, despite the rush hour, snow flurries and freezing temperatures, supporters of playwright Tricia Walsh-Smith (Bonkers, Addictions) headed to the Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, CT for The Last Journey.

Walsh-Smith's latest work was presented as part of the Playhouse's New Play Readings series. The Playhouse is now beautifully renovated thanks to Artistic Director Emeritus, Joanne Woodward, who spearheaded a massive fund-raising campaign for the theatre. Westport's play reading series is a much-needed commitment to developing new works for the theatre. The readings are the first step in bringing the playwright's words from the page to the stage in front of a live audience and are read by professional actors, without sets or costumes. 

Heading the cast were Emmy Award-winning Peter Strauss, Broadway film and television actress Laila Robins, and Broadway veteran Patricia Conolly. Also featured in the cast were Debargo Sanyal, Molly Ward, and Sarah Grace Wilson.  The reading was directed by Carolyn Cantor and was followed by an audience feedback session with the playwright and Westport's Artistic Director Tazewell Thompson.

In the audience were Walsh-Smith's husband, Shubert President Phil Smith, as well as Anastasia Barzee, Charles Busch, and Michael Riedel, among others.

Photos by Barry Gordin

Laila Robins, Peter Strauss, Sarah Grace Wilson, Molly Ward, Tricia Walsh-Smith, Debargo Sanyal, Patricia Conolly, Carolyn Cantor, Jack Doulin

 
CeCe Black and Laila Robins

Tazewell Thompson, Phil Smith and Betty Jacobs

Jackie Judd and Joel Vig

Peter Strauss, Tazewell Thompson and Jodi Schoenbrun Carter

Charles Busch, Patricia Conolly and Rose Billings

Charles Busch and Tricia Walsh-Smith