Jennifer Ehle to Play Tracy Lord in The Philadelphia Story at the Old Vic
Ehle was nominated for an Olivier Award and won the Best Actress in a Play Tony Award for her work in The Real Thing. Her other theatrical credits include Summerfolk for the Royal National Theatre, The Relapse, The Painter of Dishonour and Richard III for the Royal Shakespeare Company and Design for Living on Broadway. Her film credits include Paradise Road, Bedrooms and Hallways, Sunshine, Possession and the upcoming The River King and Alpha Male. She was also notably featured as Miss Elizabeth Bennet in the BBC Pride and Prejudice miniseries.
The Philadelphia Story centers on a pretentious socialite who is set to marry an equally pretentious executive when her ex-husband arrives and stirs things up. Helen Hunt, Cameron Diaz, Calista Flockhart, Laura Linney, Nicole Kidman and Gwyneth Paltrow are among the performers who were previously rumored for the role of Lord in this staging. Debra Messing was also reported to be in official talks for the revival.
The production, directed by Jerry Zaks, is scheduled to run at the Old Vic from May 3 through July 23 though Spacey may have to bow out early because of his Superman filming schedule. It is also aiming for a spring 2006 Broadway transfer.