Playbill News, NYC, notes Tony winner Donna McKechnie's Shreveport commitment with Red River Repertory

Tony winner Donna McKechnie in Shreveport
Originally uploaded by trudeau.

Writes Kenneth Jones in today's Playbill News: "Tony Award winner Donna McKechnie will play Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie this spring for River City Repertory Theatre in Louisiana.

The casting is a major coup for the sapling Equity troupe in Shreveport, the only resident union theatre in the northern part of the state.

Artistic director Patric McWilliams told Playbill.com that the actress known for Broadway's A Chorus Line (for which she won a Best Actress Tony) and State Fair will play the faded Southern belle opposite Los Angeles actor Logan Sledge as son Tom Wingfield.

McWilliams will direct the Tennessee Williams play at Shreveport's Strand Theatre, the home of River City Rep. Performances will run May 3-12.

The director said he contacted McKechnie through friends and colleagues; he had heard Amanda was a role she wanted to play one day.

'She's been very generous and warm with us," McWilliams said. "We're looking forward to it.'"

More of the Playbill article, entitled If I Were a Belle: McKechnie to play Amanda in Louisiana Glass Menagerie.