Crimes of the Heart, Directed by Kathleen Turner, Coming Off-Broadway

Roundabout Theater Company's next off-Broadway production will a revival of Beth Henley's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1981 comedy Crimes of the Heart directed by Kathleen Turner. The production will begin previews on January 18, 2008, at the Laura Pels Theatre and open on February 7. The limited engagement will continue through April 13.

The cast includes Lily Rabe as Babe, Sarah Paulson as Meg, Jennifer Dundas as Lenny, Jessica Stone as Chick, Patch Darragh as Doc, and Chandler Williams as Barnette. All but Stone appeared in Turner's production of the play at the Williamstown Theater Festival this past summer.

Crimes of the Heart is the story of the Magrath sisters of Hazlehurst, Mississippi, reunited after the youngest, Babe, has shot her husband. The oldest sister, Lenny, is the caretaker who has stayed home dealing with the unseen grandfather; the middle sister, Meg, has tries to make it in Hollywood as a singer/actress and lived a rather wild life. The entire action of the play takes place in the family kitchen.

Rabe appeared in Roundabout's Broadway revival of Heartbreak House last season and was featured in Steel Magnolias. Off-Broadway credits include Colder Than Here. Regional credits include Proof, Speaking Well of the Dead, The Crazy Girl and White Jesus.

Paulson's Broadway credits include The Glass Menagerie and The Sisters Rosensweig. Off-Broadway include Colder Than Here, Killer Joe, Talking Pictures and Stalin's Daughter. Regional credits include The Cherry Orchard, Ashes, Alert the Media, Does Anyone Hear Me?, The Penitent Madeline and Best Friends.

Dundas' Broadway credits include Arcadia, The Little Foxes, Ah, Wilderness! and Grownups. Off-Broadway credits include As You Like It, A Winter's Tale, Iron, Further Than The Furthest Thing, Shopping and Fucking and Good As New. Regional credits include The Taming Of The Shrew, The Cherry Orchard, Aphrodisiac, The Glass Menagerie, Arms and The Man, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Our Town and The Seagull.

Stone's Broadway credits include Butley, The Odd Couple, Smell of the Kill, Design For Living, How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying and Grease. Off-Broadway credits include Krisit, The Country Club, June Moon and the Encores! productions of Tenderloin and Babes in Arms. Williamstown credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Cherry Orchard and Where's Charley.

Darragh appeared on Broadway in Our Town with Paul Newman. Off-Broadway credits include All That I Will Ever Be, The Ruby Sunrise, Where We're Born, Golden Age, The Grille Room & Secret Order of Trees and Pieces of Paper. Regional credits include Mistakes Madeleine Made, The Violet Hour, Romeo & Juliet, Wit, Control + Alt + Delete, The Last Bridge and No. 11 Blue and White.

Williams appeared on Broadway last season in Translations. Off-Broadway credits include Rope, The Mysteries, One Arm and Andorra. At Williamstown, he appeared in Lady Windermere's Fan, On the Razzle, Once in a Lifetime, Street Scene and Winter's Tale. Other regional credits include Richard II and Mary Stuart.

The world premiere of Crimes of the Heart took place in 1979 at the Actors Theatre of Louisville.The original Broadway production was nominated for four Tony Awards and starred Mia Dillon, Mary Beth Hurt, Lizbeth MacKay and Peter MacNichol. A 1986 film version featured Diane Keaton, Jessica Lange and Sissy Spacek as the sisters.

The design team for Turner's revival has not been set.