Donald Marguelies’ latest Broadway play The Country House introduces audiences to a family of actors gathering at their Berkshires summerhome during the annual Williamstown Theatre Festival. From a hot TV star to theatrical royalty, they all want to be at Williamstown; which made us think about the cast’s own WTF experiences. Below, BroadwayBox looks back at the many Williamstown Theatre Festival credits (and fabulous vintage photos) of The Country House company.
Kate Jennings Grant, Blithe Spirit
Photo by Joan Marcus
If these production photos are any indication, Maria Mileaf’s 2007 Williamstown revival of Blithe Spirit was just out of this world. Country House beauty Kate Jennings Grant played mod ghost Elvira opposite Jessica Hecht, Wendie Malick and Bernard White.
Sarah Steele, Not Waving
Photo by T. Charles Erickson
In
The Country House, Steele plays the lone non-performer of the family, but it wasn’t too long ago (2008) that Steele treaded the Williamstown boards in Ellen Melaver’s
Not Waving.
Daniel Sunjata in Camino Real
There aren't any actual photos of Sunjata, but he's probably in this group shot, right?
Photo by Richard Feldman
Sunjata stars in The Country House as a Michael Astor, a big TV heartthrob spending his summer working on his craft at Williamstown. The Tony nominee actually appeared there once back in 1999 in Nicholas Martin’s far out production of Tennessee Williams’ Camino Real. The cast also included Ethan Hawke, Hope Davis, Kathryn Hahn, Charlie Day and Lewis Black.
Blythe Danner
Photo by Stephen Nils Boyd
Much like her Country House matriarch, Tony winner Blythe Danner is somewhat of a Williamstown Theatre Festival icon. She’s been appearing off and on since 1974, when she made her debut opposite Frank Langella in The Seagull (which ironically enough The Country House is very loosely based off of). Now buckle your seat belts as we fly by her 21 other WTF credits.
1975, her 'Seagull' director Nikos Psacharopoulos brought Danner back opposite Langella again in 'Ring Round the Moon.'
Photo by C.G. Wolfson
How beautiful does Danner look in 1976 as Ellie Dunn in 'Heartbreak House' and as Masha in 'The Three Sisters.'
Photo by C.G. Wolfson
In 1977, she starred as Hypatia Tarleton in Shaw’s 'Misalliance' and as Holga in Arthur Miller’s 'After the Fall.'
Photo by Jan A. Wein
1978 saw Danner co-star with Rosemary Harris as Lizaveta Bogdonovna in 'A Month in the Country.'
Photo by Marcia Johnston
Danner played Liza in the 1979 American premiere of Maxim Gorky’s 'Children of the Sun.'
Photo by Marcia Johnston
The very busy leading lady appeared in three shows in 1980: 'Whose Life Is It Anyway,' 'The Cherry Orchard' and 'Candida.'
Photo by Christopher Read
She scaled back in 1981, only starring in two production: 'The Greeks' (with daughter Gwyneth as Young Orestes) and 'Arms and the Man.'
Photo by Christopher Read
Two shows again in '82. Danner appeared as Rose Trelawny in 'Trelawny of the Wells' and as Tatyana in 'Enemies.'
Photo by Jessica Katz
Here's Danner in 1983 starring opposte Christopher Reeve as Linda Seton in 'Holiday.'
Photo by Bob Marshak
Longtime collaborator Nikos Psacharopoulos directed Danner in 1984’s 'The Tale of the Wolf.'
Photo by Bob Marshak
Blythe Danner and Dianne Wiest also headlined a revival of 'Uncle Vanya' in 1984’s 30th anniversary season.
Photo by Bob Marshak
In 1985, Danner, Teri Garr and Laila Robins appeared in 'Undiscovered Country.'
Photo by Bob Marshak
How’s this for 'A Streetcar Named Desire' cast? Sigourney Weaver as Stella, Christopher Walken as Stanley and Danner as Blanche. It was her 14th and final production with director Nikos Psacharopoulos in 1986.
Photo by Bob Marshak
Then there's a short break and Danner returned in 1990 with Christopher Reeve and Calista Flockhart in 'Death Takes a Holiday.'
Photo by Richard Feldman
In 1991 Danner stars with daughter Gwyneth Paltrow and Jane Krakowski in 'Picnic.'
Photo by Richard Feldman
The following year mother and daughter appeared together again in 'The Sweet By ‘N’ By.'
Photo by Richard Feldman
Here's Danner as Jessica MacMillan Cohen in 'If We Are Women' in 1993.
Photo by Richard Feldman
In 1994, Danner returned to 'The Seagull' but this time as Irina Nikolayevna Arkadina.
Photo by Richard Feldman
In 1996, she starred with Marian Seldes, Andrea Martin, Victor Garber and Kate Burton in 'The Royal Family.'
Photo by Richard Feldman
Danner played three roles (Jane Featherways, Lady Maureen Gilpin and Louise Charteris) in the starry 2000 revival of Noel Coward’s 'Tonight at 8:30.'
Photo by Richard Feldman
Danner's most recent credit at Williamstown was headlining the 2012 production of 'The Blue Deep.'
Photo by T. Charles Erickson
Don't miss Blythe Danner, Daniel Sunjata, Sarah Steele and Kate Jennings Grant bringing Williamstown to NYC in The Country House at Broadway's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.
