Taconic Stage's THE REAL (DESPERATE) HOUSEWIVES OF COLUMBIA COUNTY MUSICAL to Play the Laurie Beechman, 3/7-28

Wayne Moore (composer) wrote "There's No Place Like Hollywood" for Stella Adler Theater in L.A. He wrote "Senior Moments" and "I Know I Came Here for Something" with Carl Ritchie. His TV and film credits include music for HBO's cartoon "Frog and Toad are Friends," PBS' "Frontline," the film "Be Well" with Milton Berle, and two Emmy-nominated shows, "Down for the Count" and "Whatever Happened to Childhood?" He has provided specialty material for Debbie Reynolds, Michael Greer, Liz Torres, Rose Marie, Holly Woodlawn and many others. He recently worked on the musical, "I Love Lucy - Live," a hit in Los Angeles and Chicago.

All of the four actresses have one foot in NYC and one foot upstate:

Meg Dooley has appeared in plays and musicals upstate, where her credits include Bertha in "Boeing Boeing" at Theatre Barn; Mother Lord in "High Society," Mrs. Higgins in "My Fair Lady," and Sister Sophia in "The Sound of Music" at Mac-Haydn; and Sally in "Follies," Rosemary in "Picnic" and Judith Bliss in "Hay Fever" at the Ghent Playhouse. In NYC, she is a member of the Blue Hill Troupe, one of the oldest Gilbert and Sullivan societies, and a frequent participant in readings, workshop productions and cabarets. But her favorite role is the uber-bitch, Melody, in "The Real (Desperate) Housewives of Columbia County."

Constance Lopez originated the roles of Natalia Pushkin in "Pushkin-A Poet's Search for Honor" (Westbeth) and Pauline in "The Widow and the West Indian Workman" (Harlem Theater), both Off-Broadway. She is active in commercials, industrials and film. Upstate, she is the resident choreographer and co-founder of The Two of Us Productions and RARE, Inc. in Copake. She also teaches and directs children's theater, including the Seymour Smith Drama Club and a summer musical theater workshop with Debra Jo Hughes at Hudson Valley Academy of Performing Arts. Recent roles include Mother in "Ragtime" and Diana in "Next to Normal."

Lisa Franklin has appeared in "Hairspray" and "South Pacific" at Albany's Park Playhouse and "Legally Blonde," "The King and I," Meet Me in St. Louis" and "The Sound of Music" at Mac-Haydn Theatre, among others. She has also appeared in productions of Schenectady Light Opera and in "La Boheme" and "Die Fledermaus" in Wuerzburg, Germany. She holds a Master's Certificate in Opera from Conservatory of Music in Wuerzburg and a Master of Music in Opera from Binghamton University in conjunction with the Tri-Cities Opera, where she performed in "The Magic Flute," and "Lakme." In NYC, she played Velma Von Tussle in a zesty performance of "Hairspray" at FSF Theatre in Flushing. She is also a pianist.

Diedre Bollinger has appeared in straight, musical and children's theatre, improv, cabaret, choirs, litigation and police training programs, erotica readings, murder mysteries, puppetry, voice work, industrials, and films. She has an androgynous quality and has appeared in "trouser" roles as Mephistopheles in "Doctor Faustus," Marley in "A Christmas Carol," Robin in "Robin Hood," Starkey in "Peter Pan" and Off-off Broadway as Melville in "A Tanglewood Tale." Her "skirt" parts include Mrs. Martin in "The Bald Soprano," 'Senora' Satan in "Don Juan in Hell," Jessie in "'night, Mother" and Virgin Mary in "Butterfingers Angel." In Carl Ritchie's productions, she has played "skirt" parts in "Senior Moments," "I Know I Came in Here for Something" and "Grace and Glorie."

Musical Director and Pianist John Moran has over 120 productions to his credit including "Damn Yankees" with James Handy, "Mame" with Leslie Denniston, "Aida" with Trevor Eaton and "West Side Story" with Lanny Mitchell. He has toured extensively in the United States and Europe, at venues ranging from Disney Land to the American Embassy in Switzerland. He has performed with the Yale Whiffenpoofs and Harvard Crocodillos, as well as such artists as Eddie Condon, Lionel Hampton, Max Kaminsky, and Pete Seeger.

Costume design is by Joanne Maurer. Sound is by Stephen Sanborn.

The production runs March 7 to 28, 2013, playing Thursdays only at 7:00 PM. Doors open at 6:00 PM for dinner or drinks. All performances take place at the Laurie Beechman Theatre at West Bank Cafe, 407 West 42nd Street. Presented by Taconic Stage Company. Tickets $25.00 (plus $15 drink or food minimum). Box office: Brown Paper Tickets, 800-838-3006, www.brownpapertickets.com/event/291419. Running time: one hour. CRITICS ARE INVITED on or after MARCH 7.

Pictured: Constance Lopez, Meg Dooley, Diedre Bollinger, Lisa Franklin. Photo by Michael Molinski.