The Opposite of Sex Among Williamstown Theatre Fest Offerings This Summer

According to Variety, The Opposite of Sex--the musical that came to San Franciso in 2004 with Kerry Butler as manipulative teen vixen Dede Truitt--will be seen at the 2006 Williamstown Theater Festival from August 9th through 20th.

The Opposite of Sex, based on the 1998 Don Roos film starring Christina Ricci, features a score by Douglas J. Cohen (No Way to Treat a Lady) and a book by Robert Jess Roth; the Lestat director will also helm the show at Williamstown. The show concerns a 16 year-old who stirs up the lives of those around her by seducing the boyfriend of her half-brother.

Opening October 2nd, 2004 at San Franciso's Magic Theatre, the musical version of The Opposite of Sex was originally said to be on its way to Broadway. However, those plans didn't take shape. The musical also featured David Burtka, Jeff McCarthy and Karen Ziemba, among others. No casting has yet been announced for the Williamstown production.

In addition to The Opposite of Sex, the 2006 Williamstown Theatre Festival (located in Williamstown, MA) will feature a number of other shows. The festival will kick off with a production of the classic Cole Porter musical Anything Goes, directed by artistic director Roger Rees; it will begin performances on July 5th on the Mainstage and run through the 16th.

A production of Tennessee Williams' poetic Sweet Bird of Youth will follow Anything Goes to the Mainstage from July 19th-30th; David Jones will direct. Next will be Romeo and Juliet (directed by Will Frears), running from August 2nd-13th, and the thriller Double Double by Rees and Rick Elice (Jersey Boys); that show will play from August 16th through 27th.

The shows playing the smaller Nikos Stage have also been announced. Joining The Opposite of Sex, they are Cusi Cram's Lucy and the Conquest (running from July 12th-23rd) and A Nervous Smile (July 26th-August 6th), by late playwright John Belluso. Suzanne Agins will direct the former play, which concerns a TV actress' adventures in Bolivia, and Maria Mileaf will stage A Nervous Smile, which focuses on the parents of a girl with cerebral palsy.

For more information, visit www.wtfestival.org.