Town Hall Theater to Broadcast THE AUDIENCE, Starring Helen Mirren, June 13

She won the hearts of millions - and an Academy Award for Best Actress - when she played Queen Elizabeth in the film The Queen.

The good news for theater-goers is that Helen Mirren returns to the role once again in The Audience, the new play by Peter Morgan that is the hit of the London season.

The play is a tour de force for the actress, as it covers the entire period of Elizabeth's reign. The play consists of a series of audiences the Queen holds regularly with her prime ministers. We see her with Churchill, Tony Blair, Margaret Thatcher, and a host of PM's throughout the years.

The press for Mirren has been ecstatic. "Helen Mirren once again gives a faultless performance," writes the Guardian, "one that transcends mere impersonation to endow the monarch with a sense of inner life and a quasi-Shakespearean aura of solitude." The Times called it "funny and truthful, good-hearted, spiky, full of surprises. I loved every minute."

Town Hall Theater has scheduled a second screening of The Audience for those who prefer to see shows in the middle of the day. The 2 pm show on Thursday, June 13, will be a live transmission from the Gielgud Theatre in London, recorded for a second screening at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $17/$10 students, and may be purchased at www.townhalltheater.org, 802 382-9222, at the THT Box Office (Mon-Sat, Noon-5 pm) or at the door.