Donna McKechnie, Carole Shelley to Headline Barrington Stage Season

New productions of Jerry Herman’s Mame starring Tony Award winner Donna McKechnie and Ring Round the Moon starring Tony Award winner Carole Shelley will be presented as part of the 2006 Barrington Stage Company season, which will take place at its new home, the renovated Berkshire Music Hall, as well as a new Stage II space.

The season kicks off May 17-28 with a pair of one-acts by Mark St. Germain: The Collyer Brothers at Home, about the famous recluses, and Period Piece, about two veteran character actors who are desperately competing for the spotlight. (St. Germain’s new play The God Committee opens Off-Broadway in March.)

The mainstage season at Barrington begins with The Human Comedy, William Dumaresq and Galt McDermot’s musicalization of the classic Willliam Saroyan novel about a California family during World War II. The production, to be directed by Julianne Boyd and choreographed by Lara Teeter, will run June 21-July 15.

Next up is David Lindsay-Abaire’s wacky comedy Wonder of the World (July 20-August 5), followed by Boyd’s production of Christopher Fry’s adaptation of Jean Anouilh’s Ring Round the Moon, about twin brothers with antithetical personalities (August 10-27). Shelley, who won a Tony for The Elephant Man and most recently played Madame Morrible in Wicked on Broadway and in the show’s national tour, will play the role of Mme. Desmermortes .

McKechnie, a Tony winner for her performance as Cassie in A Chorus Line, takes on the title role in Mame, October 4-15. Diane Findlay, who appeared in last season’s BSC production of Follies with McKechnie, will play Vera Charles. Rounding out the season is the regional hit Ella, starring Broadway veteran Tina Fabrique as the legendary singer Ella Fitzgerald. Conceived and directed by BSC veteran Rob Ruggiero, the show has a new book by Jeffrey Hatcher and musical direction by Danny Holgate.

For more information, visit www.barringtonstageco.org.