PYGMALION, Starring Robert Sean Leonard and Heather Lind, Opens Tonight at Williamstown Theatre Festival

Artistic Director Jenny Gersten announces the opening of Pygmalion, the Williamstown Theatre Festival's fourth production of the 2013 season. Pygmalion, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, plays on the Main Stage from tonight, July 18 through July 27, following July 17 preview performances.

George Bernard Shaw, who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925, creates a sharp satire on class and women's independence in his century-old masterpiece Pygmalion. With all the parallels of a modern reality-show makeover, an impoverished flower seller is taken in hand by a linguistics professor who attempts to change her accent and pass her off as the epitome of English society. For a wager.

Award-winning director Nicholas Martin (Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike) returns for his 16th season to Williamstown to take on this uproarious and poignant battle of wits between two of theatre's most iconic characters. WTF's revival of Pygmalion features Robert Sean Leonard (Dead Poet's Society, "House") as Henry Higgins, who returns to the Festival after starring in WTF's 1997 hit production of Dead End, also directed by Martin. Eliza Doolittle is played by Heather Lind (The Merchant of Venice, "Boardwalk Empire"), who began her career as a member of WTF's Non-Equity company and most recently wowed audiences in WTF's 2012 production of The Blue Deep. Paxton Whitehead (WTF's She Stoops to Conquer and The Importance of Being Earnest) plays Colonel Pickering. The cast also features Maureen Anderman (The Lady from Dubuque, Tony Award nominee) as Mrs. Higgins,Patricia Conolly (The Sound of Music) as Mrs. Eynsford Hill, Caitlin O'Connell (The Heiress) as Mrs. Pearce, and Don Lee Sparks (Take Me Out) as Mr. Doolittle. Also included are Dan O'Brien (Arms and the Girl) as Bystander 1, Maura Hooper as Clara, FedeRico Rodriguez as Freddy Hill, Alex Seifeas Taxi Man, and Ariana Seigel as Parlor Maid.

The creative team includes Alexander Dodge (Scenic Design), Phillip Rosenberg (Lighting Design), Gabriel Berry and Andrea Hood (Costume Design), Drew Levy (Sound Design), Deb Hecht (Dialect Coach), and Mark Bennett (Composer). Jillian M. Oliver is the Production Stage Manager.

As previously announced, the complete 2013 Williamstown Theatre Festival season runs from June 26 - August 18, 2013 and includes the highly anticipated World Premiere of The Bridges of Madison County, a new musical by Jason Robert Brown and Marsha Norman and a Nicholas Martin-directed production of George Bernard Shaw's classic Pygmalion on the Main Stage. The madcap revival of the Marx Brothers' Animal Crackers was an audience favorite and ended its run on July 13. On the Nikos Stage, audiences are currently enjoying a revival of Tom Stoppard's Hapgood (through July 21); the new musical Johnny Baseball by Richard Dresser (book), Robert Reale (music), and Willie Reale (lyrics) opens July 24; and The Debate Society's darkly comic thriller Blood Play opens August 7. The World Premiere of Bess Wohl's critically acclaimed American Hero wrapped up its run on the Nikos Stage on July 7. The season has seen the return of many Williamstown veterans including Kate Burton (in Hapgood), and Robert Sean Leonard (inPygmalion), plus Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Sher making his directing debut at the Festival.

Tickets to Pygmalion are $60. Tickets for all Williamstown Theatre Festival productions can be purchased online at wtfestival.org, by phone at 413-597-3400, or in person at the '62 Center for Theatre and Dance Box Office at 1000 Main St (Route 2), Williamstown, MA 02167.

Since 1955, the Williamstown Theatre Festival has brought America's finest actors, directors, designers, and playwrights to the Berkshires, engaging a loyal audience of both residents and summer visitors. Each WTF season is designed to present unique opportunities for artists and audience alike, revisiting classic plays with innovative productions, developing and nurturing bold new plays and musicals, and offering a rich array of accompanying cultural events including Free Theatre, Late-Night Cabarets, readings, workshops, and educational programs. While best known for our acclaimed productions, WTF is also home to one of the nation's top training and professional development programs for new generations of aspiring theatre artists and administrators. WTF was honored with the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre in 2002 and the Commonwealth Award for Achievement in 2011.

Pictured: Robert Sean Leonard (Henry Higgins) and Heather Lind (Eliza Doolittle). Photo Credit: T Charles Erickson.

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