Grey Gardens Extends Through April 30 at Playwrights Horizons
Based on the cult 1975 documentary of the same name, Grey Gardens features music by Scott Frankel, lyrics by Michael Korie a book by Doug Wright. The tuner tells the story of the deliciously eccentric aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who were once among the brightest names in the pre-Camelot social register, and are now East Hampton's most notorious recluses, living in a dilapidated 28-room mansion. Facing an uncertain future, Edith Bouvier Beale and her adult daughter, Little Edie, are forced to revisit their storied past and come to terms with it—for better, and for worse. In the first act, Little Edie is played by Sara Gettelfinger and Edith is portrayed by Christine Ebersole; in the second act, Little Edie is played by Ebersole and Edith is portrayed by Mary Louise Wilson.
Grey Gardens, directed by Michael Greif, opened its world premiere engagement on March 7 to mixed reviews. In his Broadway.com Review of he production, William Stevenson wrote: "Considering the rich source material and the talented creative team, I had high hopes. Unfortunately, much of it is far less captivating than the film. The second act is better than the first, however, and Christine Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson turn in divine performances as the eccentric Beales."