The Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce St. in Manhattan) announces a three-week extension - now through December 20, 2009 -- of David Rambo's play THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS starring Tony Award-winner Judith Ivey as the legendary advice columnist Ann Landers Off-Broadway.
Following previews October 7 and opening October 14, the Off-Broadway limited engagement of LADY was originally scheduled to end on November 29, now extended to December 20.
THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS is directed by BJ Jones. The production is presented Off-Broadway by Cherry Lane Theatre; Angelina Fiordellisi, Artistic Director and James King, Managing Director.
THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS portrays the legendary advice columnist Ann Landers on the night that she is preparing to write the most difficult column of her long and storied career: the now-famous column in which she informed her 60 million readers that her own marriage had failed, after advising them for decades that divorce was never an appropriate solution.
Funny and touching, THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS has been enthusiastically received by audiences and critics alike. When the play opened in October, The New York Daily News wrote, "Judith Ivey is letter-perfect as Ann Landers." The New York Times said Ivey's performance has "touching authenticity," and the Associated Press said LADY is "absolutely charming." As one fan of the play observes, "THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS tells you everything you didn't know about a woman who told you everything."
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 1955, and the column ended with her death in 2002.
THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS has set design by Neil Patel; costume design by Martin Pakledinaz, lighting design by Nicole Pearce, sound design by Kevin O'Donnell and wig design by Paul Huntley.
Judith Ivey won Tony Awards for her performances in the plays STEAMING and HURLYBURLY. She recently played 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."
David Rambo's plays include GOD'S MAN IN TEXAS, THE ICE-BREAKER, THE SPIN CYCLE, a new adaptation of Sinclair Lewis' "Babbitt" and an all-new book for the Lerner and Loewe musical PAINT YOUR WAGON. He has adapted several screenplays for live performance including ALL ABOUT EVE, CASABLANCA, ADAM'S RIB and SUNSET BOULEVARD performed at the Hollywood Bowl. He is a writer and producer of the hit TV series "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation."
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.
