Charles Busch Will Star in The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife to Benefit Actors Fund – Playbill.com

The Actors Fund will present a benefit reading of Charles Buschs Tony-nominated play The Tale of the Allergists Wife November 18 at 7:30 PM at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.

The evening will star Busch in the title role, which was originally played by Tony winner Linda Lavin. Lavin will play the role of Frieda, the part created by the late Shirl Bernheim, with original cast members Michele Lee, Tony Roberts, and Anil Kumar in their original roles. Original director Lynne Meadow will helm.

In 2017, I attended The Actors Fund Gala honoring Hal Prince, and after that evening, I was inspired to organize something special to support The Actors Fund, Lavin said. I called up Charles with the idea of revisiting his perfect play. I loved playing the role of Marjorie, but I thought for this special one-night event, it would be marvelous having our playwright, Charles Busch, who has had a long award-winning career playing female roles, play her. So I urged him if we were going to do this, he had to play the role of Marjorie as he had found that character as a performer before he even expanded it into a play. I had played Frieda at The Red Barn Studio Theatre in Wilmington, North Carolina (the theatre my husband Steve Bakunas and I created), and thought it would be fitting and exciting for me to play it again. It honestly feels like we were all together just doing this play the other day, and I cant believe we are lucky enough to come together and do this one more timeled again by the incredible Lynne Meadowto benefit such a wonderful and important organization.

See What Your Favorite Stars Are Up to Away From Broadway With Playbill Universe

Originally produced by Manhattan Theatre Club, Carole Shorenstein Hays, Stuart Thompson, and Douglas S. Cramer, The Tale of the Allergist's Wife ran November 2, 2000September 15, 2002, playing 25 previews and 777 performances. The show received Tony nominations for Best Play, Best Actress in a Play (Lavin), and Best Featured Actress in a Play (Lee).

For tickets and more information, visit ActorsFund.org.

Busch has been a special guest performer on Playbill Travels Broadway on the High Seas cruises. Cabins are now on sale for Broadway in the Great Northwest, Playbill Travels first domestic cruise featuring Kate Baldwin, Tedd Firth, Christopher Fitzgerald, Aaron Lazar, and Faith Prince (April 26May 4, 2020), and for Broadway on the Mediterranean (August 31September 7, 2020), featuring Audra McDonald, Will Swenson, Gavin Creel, Caissie Levy and Lindsay Mendez, and for Broadway on the Nile (December 27, 2020January 7, 2021), with performers soon to be announced. To book a suite or stateroom, call Playbill Travel at 866-455-6789 or visit PlaybillTravel.com.

Read the original:

Charles Busch Will Star in The Tale of the Allergist's Wife to Benefit Actors Fund - Playbill.com