Two-time Tony Award-winning actress Judith Ivey portrays that great woman of American letters -- letters from readers seeking advice, that is -- as she plays the legendary, trailblazing columnist Ann Landers in David Rambo's play The Lady With All The Answers which opened Off-Broadway this fall at the Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce Street) in New York City. B.J. Jones directs. The production will run through November 29. Opening night was October 14.
Presented by The Cherry Lane Theatre, The Lady With All The Answers will kick-off the Obie Award-winning theatre company's 2009-10 season on its mainstage at 38 Commerce Street in Greenwich Village. Angelina Fiordellisi is Cherry Lane Theatre's Artistic Director; James King is Managing Director.
For decades, newspaper columnist and American icon Ann Landers dispensed wit and wisdom to lovelorn teens, confused couples and countless others in need of advice in her enormously popular, nationally syndicated column. In The Lady With All The Answers, Landers finds herself writing a column about a new kind of heartbreak -- her own. Drawn from Landers' life and letters, The Lady With All The Answers is a touching and comic portrait of a wise, funny, no-nonsense woman who was, in fact, one of the most influential figures in America by virtue of the millions of readers who wrote to her seeking her indispensable advice and sometimes controversial opinions on matters ranging from marriage, divorce, life, death and sexuality, to the proper way to hang a roll of toilet paper in the bathroom.
Ann Landers, who was born Esther "Eppie" Pauline Friedman Lederer in 1918, wrote her first advice column in 1945, and the column ended with her death in 2002.
Judith Ivey, who is currently directing Vanities at Second Stage, won Tony Awards for her performances in the plays Steaming and Hurlyburly. She is presently playing Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie at Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, giving a performance acclaimed by Charles Isherwood in The New York Times, and others. Her many stage credits include having played "Mommy" in Cherry Lane's celebrated productions of Edward Albee's "American Dream," directed by the playwright last year, and the solo play Women On Fire. Ms. Ivey's film credits include "Devil's Advocate," "Washington Square" and "Brighton Beach Memoirs," and she starred in four television series including "Designing Women."
B.J. Jones is the Artistic Director of Northlight Theatre outside Chicago. He has directed the world premieres of Craig Wright's Lady, Larry Gelbart's Better Late and Rounding Third, along with productions of Grey Gardens, The Cripple of Inishmaan, The Price and GlenGarry Glenn Ross.
This Off-Broadway production of The Lady With All The Answers is produced by The Cherry Lane Theatre in association with Northlight Theatre. The Lady With All The Answers is drawn from the the life and letters of Ann Landers with the cooperation of Margo Howard.
Tickets to The Lady With All The Answers are priced at $40 and $50. The production runs from October 6 to November 29. For ticket reservations and performance information call Tele-charge at 212-239-6200.
As New York's longest, continuously-running Off-Broadway theater, Cherry Lane Theatre is known as "the birthplace of Off-Broadway," having helped to define American drama by fostering theater that is daring and relevant for the past 83 years. Earlier this year, Cherry Lane Theatre opened its third and newest performance space, The Cherry Pit (155 Bank St.) with a critically-praised production of Deirdre O'Connor's play Jailbait. As well, the company presented its 11th annual Mentor Project play, Jakob Holder's Housebreaking directed by Daniella Topol.
Photos courtesy of Sam Rudy Media Relations
