Comedy “What the Butler Saw” by Joe OrtonBegins August 23 at Westport Country Playhouse

John Tillinger, veteran director of Orton plays, will helm the production

“What the Butler Saw,” a shameless comedy by Joe Orton, offering a little blackmail and a lot of sexual innuendo, will be staged at Westport Country Playhouse, August 23 – September 10. Director is John Tillinger, who helmed a recent, critically acclaimed production of the show in Los Angeles, as well as earlier productions in London and New York.

In “What the Butler Saw,” Dr. Prentice, a psychiatric doctor in an exclusive, private clinic, is attempting to interview, and seduce, an attractive would-be secretary. As part of his unconventional interview technique, he asks her to undress. When the doctor’s wife makes an unexpected visit, he must hide the unclad girl, and the chaos begins.

The show premiered in London in 1969. The New York production later won an Obie Award.

“We are indeed privileged to have as the play’s director John Tillinger, the go-to authority on interpreting Orton comedies,” said Mark Lamos, Playhouse artistic director. “Orton’s works aren’t played just for laughs; they must be played to lampoon all the pomposity and hypocrisy in his characters representing the establishment. It’s very challenging to direct an Orton play. John is always up to the task, and has received much critical acclaim for his efforts.”

The New York Times praised Tillinger as “one of our sharpest directors of comedy, especially of the kind of black comedy honed by Joe Orton.”

The cast includes Julian Gamble as Sergeant Match (Broadway’s “The Seagull,” “The Invention of Love,” “Democracy,” “The Iceman Cometh,” “Dinner at Eight,” “A Month in The Country”; TV’s “House of Cards”); Chris Ghaffari as Nicholas Beckett (Hartford Stage’s “Romeo & Juliet”; The New York Shakespeare Festival’s “King Lear”; recent MFA, Yale School of Drama); Patricia Kalember as Mrs. Prentice (WCP’s “A Marriage Minuet”; Broadway’s “The Foreigner”; TV’s “Power,” “Madam Secretary,” “Orange Is the New Black”; regular on “thirtysomething”); Sarah Manton as Geraldine Barclay (WCP’s “Bedroom Farce,” “Things We Do for Love”; Broadway/London’s “One Man, Two Guvnors”; London’s “The Coast of Utopia,” “South Pacific,” Baby in “Dirty Dancing”); Robert Stanton as Dr. Prentice (WCP’s “Hay Fever”; Broadway’s “A Free Man of Color,” “Mary Stuart,” “The Coast of Utopia”; Off-Broadway’s “All in the Timing” (Obie Award); Film/TV’s “Jason Bourne,” "Orange Is the New Black”); and Paxton Whitehead as Dr. Rance (WCP’s “Bedroom Farce,” “The Circle,” “How the Other Half Loves,” more; Broadway’s “The Importance of Being Earnest,” “My Fair Lady” (Helen Hayes Award), “Noises Off” (Drama Desk Award).

Playwright Joe Orton (1933-1967) was born in Leicester, England. After winning a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, Orton was the rising star of an "alternative British intelligentsia.” He wrote the plays “Entertaining Mr. Sloane” and “Loot.”

Director John Tillinger’s Westport Country Playhouse productions include “Bedroom Farce,” “Things We Do for Love,” “How the Other Half Loves,” “Children,” “Time of My Life,” “Relatively Speaking,” and “The Drawer Boy.” On Broadway, he directed “Absurd Person Singular” with Paxton Whitehead and Deborah Rush; “Inherit the Wind” with Charles Durning and George C. Scott (Tony Award nomination, OCC Award); “The Price” with Eli Wallach (Tony Award nomination); and “Loot!”with Joseph Maher (Tony Award nomination, OCC Award) and “Entertaining Mr. Sloane” (Drama Desk Award), both written by Joe Orton.

The design team includes James Noone, scenic design; Laurie Churba, costume design; John McKernon, lighting design; and Scott Killian, sound design.

“What the Butler Saw” performance schedule is Tuesday at 7 p.m., Wednesday at 2 and 8 p.m., Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Special series feature Taste of Tuesday, LGBT Night OUT, Opening Night, Sunday Symposium, Open Captions, Thursday TalkBack, Together at the Table Family Dinner, Playhouse Happy Hour, and Backstage Pass.

“What the Butler Saw” Production Partner is Carole Hochman. Corporate Production Partner is First Niagara.

Single tickets start at $30; buy early for best prices.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit www.westportplayhouse.org or call the box office at (203) 227-4177, toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Stay connected to the Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse), follow on Twitter (@WCPlayhouse), and on YouTube (WestportPlayhouse).