The Little Foxes Previews at the Shaw Festival

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, May 5, 2008 ’Ķ Previews began on Saturday in the Royal George Theatre for the Shaw Festival’Äôs production of Lillian Hellman’Äôs most celebrated play The Little Foxes, a timeless story of family, money, treachery and greed.

When the Hubbard siblings decide to invest in a cotton mill, the struggle for the biggest slice of the pie begins. Brothers Ben (Ric Reid) and Oscar (Peter Krantz) connive and scheme, but it is their powerful sister Regina (Laurie Paton) who will seemingly stop at nothing to get what she wants.

The deliciously treacherous Regina Giddens has been played by some of theatre and film’Äôs most commanding women. New York Times reviewer Ben Brantley wrote of the role, ’ÄúFew heroines of American theatre are half as much fun as Regina Giddens, an abiding testament to what's so good about being bad in the world of fiction.’Äù

American playwright Lillian Hellman was a leading voice in the American theatre and was active in the political arena, linked throughout her life with left-wing causes. The Little Foxes was one of Hellman’Äôs most successful plays. The title of the play comes from the Bible, ’ÄúTake us the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.’Äù After producing Hellman’Äôs The Autumn Garden in 2005, The Shaw’Äôs Artistic Director Jackie Maxwell was eager to explore the equally complex but more gothic world of The Little Foxes.

The cast of The Little Foxes also includes Sharry Flett as Birdie Hubbard, Lisa Codrington as Addie, Krista Colosimo as Alexandra Giddens, David Jansen as Horace Giddens, and Gray Powell as Leo Hubbard, as well as Norman Browning and Richard Stewart.

The Little Foxes is directed by Eda Holmes, with design by Cameron Porteous, lighting design by Kevin Lamotte, and original music and sound design by John Gzowski. The stage management team includes Stage Manager Allan Teichman and Assistant Stage Manager Dora Tomassi.

The Little Foxes begins preview performances Saturday, May 3; opens Saturday, May 24; and plays in repertory until Saturday, November 1.

The 2008 season is proudly presented by HSBC Bank Canada/HSBC Bank USA, N.A.