Harriet Harris Set To Star In The Shakespeare Theatre Of New Jersey's NOISES OFF, Beginning 8/5

Harriet Harris, Tony Award winner for best featured actress in a musical for Thoroughly Modern Millie, has joined The cast of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's production of Noises Off by Michael Frayn, which begins performances on August 5 and continues through August 30th. Harriet Harris, who also won a Drama Desk award for her performance as Mrs. Meers in the hit Broadway musical Thoroughly Modern Millie, will play Dotty Otley, the role originated by Dorothy Louden on Broadway. Noises Off will be performed on the Shakespeare Theatre Main Stage - The F. M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Avenue at Lancaster Road in Madison. For tickets, call the box office at 973-408-5600, visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org or email boxoffice@shakespearenj.org.

Ms. Harris has also appeared on Broadway in Old Acquaintance and the Tony Award®-nominated Cry Baby and at many of the nation's most prestigious regional theatres. On television, Harris has appeared as the recurring character Felicia Tilman in Desperate Housewives and as Frasier Crane's agent Bebe Glazer on hit television series Frasier.

Noises Off, by British playwright Michael Frayn, begins performances on August 5 and continues through August 30. Frayn's other hit Broadway productions include Copenhagen and Democracy. A hit on London's West End and twice on Broadway, as well as achieving much success as a major feature film, Noises Off has become the quintessential farce about the theatre and the antics on stage and behind-the-scenes. Frayn got the idea for the play while watching one of his plays from the backstage wings. "It was funnier from behind than in front and I thought that one day I must write a farce from behind," Frayn noted.

Frayn's Olivier Award-winning Noises Off pulls back the curtain on a third-rate troupe of actors performing the sex-farce Nothing On, where backstage romance, slamming doors, missing actors and a plate of sardines lead to hilarious on-stage chaos. In Noises Off, audiences see Nothing On performed three times - once in a disastrous dress rehearsal, once from backstage, and once again later in the run! Frank Rich, of the New York Times, said that Noises Off "is, was, and probably always will be the funniest play written in my lifetime."

Playing Harris' on-stage and off-stage rival is Shakespeare Theatre favorite Laila Robins (A Streetcar Named Desire, The Cherry Orchard) as BeLinda Blair. Robins most recently appeared as Tammy Meswick in HBO's In Treatment and on the hit NBC-TV's 30 Rock. On Broadway, Robins appeared in the Tony Award-nominated Frozen and Heartbreak House among many others.

The cast also includes Shakespeare Theatre veterans Andrew Weems (The Time of Your Life, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, King John) as Lloyd Dallas, the director; Scott Barrow (Private Lives) as Garry Lejeune; and Matt Bradford Sullivan (King Lear) as Frederick Fellows.

Edmond Genest (Around the World in Eighty Days, King Lear) returns to The Shakespeare Theatre for his fourteenth season to play Selsdon Mowbray. Rounding out the cast are Katie Fabel as Brooke Ashton, Jessica Ires Morris as Poppy Norton Taylor, and Jack Moran as Tim Allgood.

Single tickets for Noises Off are now on sale and range in price from $30 to $54 depending on performance day and time. Patrons can save up to 35% off regular ticket prices by purchasing discount Ticket Packages and subscriptions that allow ticket buyers to select five or four plays of their choice at significantly discounted prices. Ticket Packages also offer additional benefits such as discounts on additional tickets and free and flexible ticket exchange privileges. Patrons may also select FlexPasses -- discounted vouchers that are redeemed for tickets during the season. Ticket packages start at $72. Single ticket prices include a $2 facility fee not subject to discount. For tickets, call the box office at 973-408-5600, visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org or email boxoffice@shakespearenj.org.

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