Turner Directs Rabe, Paulson and Dundas in WTF 'Crimes'

Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley begins on the Williamstown Theatre Festival's Nikos Stage on August 8.

Winner of the 1979 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Crimes of the Heart is a dramatic comedy about the sorrows and strengths of a Southern sisterhood. Golden Globe and Evening Standard Award winner, two-time Tony nominated and Academy Award nominated actress Kathleen Turner (Broadway: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, film: Body Heat, Peggy Sue Got Married, Prizzi's Honor) makes her debut as a theatre director with this production.

"In the play, the Magrath sisters reunite at Old Granddaddy's home in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. Old resentments bubble to the surface as they're forced to deal with assorted relatives and past relationships while coping with the latest incident to disrupt their lives," as described in press notes.

The cast includes Patch Darragh (Our Town, Dissonance and The Sugar Syndrome at WTF) as Doc Porter, Jennifer Dundas (Arcadia, The Little Foxes, Ah, Wilderness!) as Lennie Magrath, Sarah Paulson (The Glass Menagerie; film: Down with Love; TV: "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip") as Meg Magrath, Lily Rabe (Steel Magnolias, Heartbreak House; film: Mona Lisa Smile) as Babe Botrelle, Kali Rocha (Noises Off, In the Summer House on Broadway, Travesties, etc. at WTF) as Chick Boyle and Chandler Williams (Translations on Broadway, Lady Windemere's Fan, On the Razzle, etc. at WTF) as Barnette Lloyd.

Costume design is by Christal Weatherly. Lighting design is by Charles Foster. Scenic design is by Kris Stone. Sound design is by Drew Levy.

Tickets are available at www.wtfestival.org, 413.597.3400 and the Festival box office.

The show runs August 8 to August 19 on the Nikos Stage with performances Tuesdays to Fridays at 8:00, Saturdays at 8:30 with matinees Thursday at 3:00, Saturdays at 4:00 and Sundays at 2:00. Tickets are $33 to $35 depending on the performance.

Festival performances are held at the '62 Center for Theatre and Dance of Williams College at 1000 Main Street (Route 2) in Williamstown, Massachusetts.  The theatre is wheelchair accessible.  Assistive listening devices are available.

Photos - Sarah Paulson, Lily Rabe and Kali Rocha