Arena Stage recently received news that an actor cast in a leading role of the upcoming production of Sweet Bird of Youth is no longer available. At the same time, Arena was presented with the opportunity to produce a pre-Broadway comedy about an American icon starring a four-time Emmy Award-winning actress. With the major artist no longer available to perform in Sweet Bird of Youth, the theater has decided to seize the limited-time opportunity to share Looped—starring Valerie Harper (Rhoda in The Mary Tyler Moore Show) as Tallulah Bankhead—with its audiences prior to the show's Broadway engagement.
"Though we were disappointed not to be able to follow through with plans for Sweet Bird of Youth, Arena always looks for the best productions in American theater for our audiences, and we are incredibly excited to bring Looped to Arena Stage immediately before its Broadway debut," comments Artistic Director Molly Smith.
Looped will star Harper and Tony Award-winning actor Jarrod Emick (Broadway's Damn Yankees). Created by Matthew Lombardo, writer of the hit play Tea at Five, and directed by Rob Ruggiero, director of Arena Stage's Ella, Looped tells the story of Tallulah Bankhead, the original celebrity bad girl, who is called into a sound studio to "loop" one line of dialogue for what would be her last film. Southern, but by no means a belle, Ms. Bankhead was known for her wild partying that outshone even today's superstars.
The Los Angeles Times raves that in Looped "entertainment value is guaranteed…Valerie Harper brings Tallulah Bankhead's outrageousness and glamour to life," and Hollywood Reporter writes, "Harper is a revelation in Matthew Lombardo's riveting new play!" Audiences will relish the promiscuity, scandal and outrageous wit of this sultry-voiced stage and film star.
The previously scheduled dates for Sweet Bird of Youth, May 29–June 28, 2009, at the Lincoln Theatre will be the same for Looped, and new tickets will be issued to ticket holders. Patrons with questions regarding this change may call the Arena Stage Sales Office at (202) 488-3300.
Looped is being produced by Tony Cacciotti and David Steiner in association with Arena Stage.
Valerie Harper (Tallulah Bankhead) Four-time Emmy Award-winner Valerie Harper achieved fame as Rhoda Morgenstern on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and the spin-off series Rhoda. During her nine years as the character "Rhoda," she was the recipient of a Golden Globe Award, Harvard University Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year Award, Hollywood Women's Press Club "Golden Apple" Award and a Photoplay Gold Medal Award. In 2000, Valerie reprised the role of Rhoda Morgenstern (along with Mary Tyler Moore as Mary Richards) in the ABC television movie Mary and Rhoda, which attracted nearly 18 million viewers. In 1987 she was seen as "Valerie Hogan" in the then-titled NBC series Valerie (later The Hogan Family) and also starred in the 1990 CBS series City and in the 1994 CBS series The Office. She has appeared as a special guest star on various television series. Throughout her career, Valerie has continued to work in the theater. She performed with various companies of Second City and Story Theatre in many venues all over the country and in Canada. In 1970 she was a member of the original stage production of Story Theater in Los Angeles at the Mark Taper Forum and opened with the show in New York when it moved to Broadway. During the run at the Ambassador Theater, Paul Sills opened his second production: Ovid's Metamorphoses (also to rave reviews) to run in repertory with Story Theater. Most happily, Valerie was a part of this theatrical experience as well. In the mid-seventies, she played Los Angeles' James Doolittle Theatre and later toured in Dear Liar with Anthony Zerbe (a play composed of a lifetime of letters between George Bernard Shaw and the actress Mrs. Patrick Campbell). In 1983 she toured Florida with Zev Bufman's production of Agnes of God playing The Psychiatrist. In the mid-nineties Valerie starred in the New York production of Death Defying Acts by Elaine May and Woody Allen. At this time, Valerie and her husband, Tony Cacciotti, began developing a one-woman play based on the life and work of Pearl S. Buck, the Nobel Prize-winning author of, among many works, The Good Earth. Valerie co-wrote and performed the play All Under Heaven in New York (1999), in Los Angeles (2000) and across the country. In 2001 Valerie was back on Broadway starring in Charles Busch's hilarious comedy The Tale of the Allergist's Wife. She played "the Wife" (Marjorie Taub) for a year on Broadway and then for another year in the National Tour. Having completed her cross-country tour of Golda's Balcony, Valerie is continuing as Golda Meir for the film version of William Gibson's play.
Jarrod Emick (Danny Miller) has appeared in multiple Broadway productions including Ring of Fire, The Boy From Oz (opposite Hugh Jackman), The Rocky Horror Show, Miss Saigon (Chris), Les Misérables (Enjolras) and Damn Yankees, for which he won the 1994 Tony, Drama Desk and Theatre World Awards. He has also appeared across the Atlantic as "Jerry" in London's West End version of The Full Monty at the Prince of Wales Theatre. Television audiences will most likely recognize Mr. Emick for his work on L.A. Firefighters (FOX), Andersonville (TNT) and Pacific Palisades (FOX).
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Molly Smith, Washington, D.C.-based Arena Stage has become the largest theater in the country dedicated to American plays and playwrights. Founded in 1950 by Zelda Fichandler, Thomas Fichandler and Edward Mangum, Arena Stage was one of the nation's original resident theaters and has a distinguished record of leadership and innovation in the field. With the opening of the new Mead Center for American Theater in 2010, Arena Stage will be a leading center for the production, development and study of American theater. Now in its sixth decade, Arena Stage serves a diverse annual audience of more than 200,000. For more information please visit www.arenastage.org.
