‘The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife’ Opens at Shakespeare & Company

Annette Miller as Marjorie Taub in "The Tale of the Allergist's Wife" (photo by Kevin Sprague)

(LENOX, Mass.) – The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife, a contemporary comedy about life on Manhattan’s Upper West Side written by Charles Busch, opens this week at Shakespeare & Company and runs through Saturday, September 1, 2012, in the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre. The play stars Elliot Norton and IRNE Award-winner Annette Miller as Marjorie Taub, a failed novelist married to retired Upper West Side allergist Ira Taub, played by Malcolm Ingram.

Busch’s comedy, which premiered in New York in 2000, has been likened to works by Neil Simon and Wendy Wasserstein. When the play opens, Marjorie Taub is sulking on her couch, debating the “extravagant decadence” versus the “romantic opulence” of her newest lighting fixture. When her therapist passes away, she falls into a midlife crisis of epic proportions that not even her mother (played by Sonya Hamlin), who appears more interested in the schedule of her own bodily functions, can pull her out of. To distract herself, Marjorie delves into the world of art, culture, and literature. But despite her constant search for knowledge, she still feels painfully inadequate.

“I believe that love is at the center of all comedies,” says director Tony Simotes. “That’s evident in all of Shakespeare’s comedies, and this play is no different. Marjorie has reached a point in her life that tastes stale to her and she has fallen into a bit of a funk. Most of us have experienced a similar phase, which makes this piece not only hilarious and irreverent, but universal on a very human level. We’ve been having such a great time in rehearsals. I am blessed to be working with such a versatile and talented cast who bring so much humor and humanity to this piece.”

Tickets are $15-$50, and S&Co. offers a wide range of discount options, including discounts for groups, students, senior citizens, military, teachers and our very popular 40% Berkshire Resident Discount. To view a complete schedule, receive a brochure, or inquire about discounts, please call the Box Office at 413.637.3353 or visit Shakespeare & Company.

The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife opened at the Manhattan Theatre Club in 2000 and then moved to Broadway for 777 performances. It was nominated for three Tony Awards and two Drama Desk Awards. Playwright Charles Busch received the Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Award for Outstanding Playwriting.

 

 

 

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