'Vigil' at Westport to Star Busfield & Stenborg

Westport Country Playhouse has announced that Emmy Award winner Timothy Busfield and Drama Desk Lifetime Achievement Award and Obie Award winner Helen Stenborg will open the Playhouse's 78th season in the dark comedy Vigil by Morris Panych.  The play will run from February 26 through March 15. Director is Stephen DiMenna.

"A heartwarming, yet very funny comedy, Vigil tells of a self-obsessed nephew summoned to the deathbed of his aunt to whom he hasn't spoken in 30 years.  Busfield plays Kemp, for whom childhood was anything but normal.  His list of early age traumas include:  A Rumanian dwarf tutor, force-fed accordion lessons and a fear of the dark until age 18.  Not wanting to revisit a moment of it, Kemp successfully has avoided all family contact.  That is, until the day he was guilted into taking care of his dying aunt, played by Ms. Stenborg," explain press notes.

An Emmy Award-winning actor for his work on "thirtysomething," Timothy Busfield currently serves as an executive producer and resident director of NBC's "Lipstick Jungle." Busfield has been a regular or recurring character on numerous television series including "All My Children," "Reggie," "The Paper Chase," "Family Ties," "Trapper John, M.D.," "The Byrds of Paradise," "Champs," "The West Wing," "Ed" and "Without a Trace."

Helen Stenborg last appeared on Broadway in The Crucible with Liam Neeson and Laura Linney.  Prior to that, she appeared in Waiting in the Wings, receiving a Tony nomination.  She and her husband, Barnard Hughes, were honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Drama Desk in 2000.  Other Broadway credits include A Month in the Country with Helen Mirren, and A Life.

The Vigil design team includes Andromache Chalfant, set design; Ilona Somogyi, costume design; Ben Stanton, lighting design; Daniel Baker, sound design; Cole Bonenberger, production stage manager; and Lewis & Fox Casting, casting.

Subscriptions for the 2008 season, now on sale, range from $185 to $420 each for 5-play, 6-play and 7-play series.  Subscription benefits include discounted prices and preferred, renewable seating.  Single tickets are now on sale ranging from $30 to $55; opening night tickets, including post-performance reception, are $65.

Students and educators are eligible for 50% discounts.  Groups of 10 or more save up to 30% off the regular ticket price.  For group sales information call (203) 227-5137, x120.

For subscriptions, single tickets or more information, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Information about the Playhouse is also available at www.westportplayhouse.org.

Timothy Busfield (Photo by Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)

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