Molly Ivins - coming to a stage near you

OK, "near" is a euphemism for "Philadelphia." :)

Thanks to Jobsanger in TX for the heads-up on this...


From the website of the Philadelphia Theatre Company -

JUST ANNOUNCED!

We are thrilled to announce that stage and screen actress Kathleen Turner will star in this world premiere play written by noted journalists and twin sisters Margaret and Allison Engel and directed by Broadway and Off-Broadway veteran David Esbjornson.

To have the chance to produce a new play that celebrates the life of one of journalism's most colorful and iconic figures is a rare and wonderful opportunity. It is equally wonderful that an actress such as Kathleen Turner, with her high-profile stage, film, and television career, had an opening in her schedule. So we seized the moment, even though it now means we must postpone our production of Mauritius to another season.

Turner will star as the "unsinkable" Molly Ivins, the famously bawdy newspaper columnist, political commentator, and bestselling author. A true Texas original, Ivins was a sharp-tongued liberal who skewered the political establishment and the "good ol' boys" with a heaping helping of her unforgettable wit and wisdom. This one-woman play celebrates Ivins' endurance and tenacity even when it seemed like a complacent America wasn't listening.

"A first-rate actress!" –The New York Times' Ben Brantley on Kathleen Turner

"A maverick; impossible to herd; Texas to the core!" –Dan Rather on Molly Ivins

The play is scheduled to run from March 19 until April 18, 2010.

Season subscriptions for the Philadelphia Theatre Company available now and single play tickets will go on sale for this February 11, 2010.


As long-time readers know (all both of you :) ), I am a huge fan of Molly Ivins. I consider her to be both the sharpest and funniest political observer of the last generation, and America lost a treasure when she passed away almost three years ago. If I ever get to be 1/100 as sharp and funny a writer as she was, I'll be the best political writer in Arizona.

We all can and should hope that this play is good enough and popular enough to go to Broadway and then to go on the road, but don't expect it to ever make it to Phoenix. We are just too far down the list of "must visit" places for traveling cultural events.

We can all hope for a DVD release, though.

Later...