Betty Buckley and Rachel York Tend ‘Grey Gardens’ at the Ahmanson

By Andrew Gans
Playbill.com
July 6, 2016

The award-winning musical Grey Gardens plays the CTG/Ahmanson Theatre July 6-August 14. Directed by Michael Wilson, the production will officially open July 13.

Tony Award winner Betty Buckley, who drew raves for her work last summer in the Bay Street Theater production of Grey Gardens, again steps into the role of Big Edie with Tony nominee and Drama Desk Award winner Rachel York as Little Edie Bouvier Beale.

The actresses are joined by Bryan Batt, Peyton Ella, Sarah Hunt, Simon Jones, Katie Silverman, Davon Williams and Josh Young with Olivia Curry, Rogelio Douglas Jr., Steven Good, Melina Kalomas, Michelle London and Rebecca Spencer.

The musical features music by Scott Frankel, lyrics by Michael Korie and a book by Doug Wright.

Based on the 1975 documentary by Albert and David Maysles, the musical, according to press notes, “tells the story of Big Edie and Little Edie Bouvier Beale, the eccentric aunt and cousin of Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis. Set in 1941 and 1973 at the Bouvier mansion in East Hampton, this bold musical follows a mother and daughter on their hilarious and heartbreaking journey from glamorous aristocrats to notorious recluses in a crumbling house filled with memory and cats.”

The scenic design is by Jeff Cowie, costumes are by Ilona Somogyi, lighting is by Howell Binkley, sound is by Jon Weston, projections are by Jason H. Thompson, wig design is by Paul Huntley and casting is by Beth Lipari. Hope Clarke is the choreographer, Kevin Stites is the music director, and the production stage manager is Robert Bennett.

Grey Gardens premiered Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in 2006 and subsequently transferred to Broadway, where it ran for 307 performances at the Walter Kerr Theatre. Grey Gardens earned a Tony nomination for Best Musical and garnered Tony Awards for leads Christine Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson, as well as for costume designer William Ivey Long.

Betty Buckley offered acclaimed performances in Broadway’s Sunset Boulevard, Carrie, Song & Dance, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, 1776, Triumph of Love and Promises, Promises. She won a Tony Award for her performance as Grizabella in the Broadway production of Cats, and she starred on the London stage in Promises, Promises, Dear World and Sunset Boulevard, earning an Olivier Award nomination for her work in the latter. Her screen credits are numerous.

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