If your memory is good, assuming you were already alive way back when, you can conjure up a radio show from 1949 that found a new home on television in 1954. It starred Robert Young as Jim Anderson and Jane Wyatt as his wife Margaret, and became a classic American sitcom about their three children Betty, Bud and Kathy (or Kitten to you), their daily challenges, in a middle class family living happy under one roof in a fictional Midwestern town Springfield.
As the series “Father Knows Best,” the show portrayed family life, the dynamics between parents and children, was highly-rated, ranked in the top ten Neilsen ratings, won several Emmy Awards and achieved high marks in telling character driven stories. Now move over “Father Knows Best,” and make room for a new team in town: Laura and Linda Benanti.
Westport Country Playhouse is offering up “Mothers Know Best” for your entertainment pleasure on Saturday, February 28 at 8 p.m. as a charming cabaret show from this mother/daughter duo. Laura, the daughter of Linda Wonneberger, a vocal coach and former actress and Martin Vidrovici, a Broadway actor and singer, is a Tony Award-winning actress and singer of Irish, German, and Serbian origin. Her credits include playing Maria von Trapp in “The Sound of Music” and Louise in "Gypsy” for which she won a Tony for Best Featured Actress. In addition, she was Tony-nominated for her roles in "Swing,” “Into the Woods,” “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,” and “She Loves Me.”
Laura has also had appearances on series and sitcoms like “Go On,” “Nashville,” “Laura,” “Supergirl,” “The Detour,” “Gossip Girl” and “The Gilded Age.” You may remember seeing her, since 2016, on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert as First Lady Melania Trump. Laura Benanti has played everyone from Eliza Doolittle to Cinderella to Tallulah Bankhead. She is a big fan of Stephen Sondheim, has written a comedic board book for mothers M is for Mama (and also Merlot): A Modern Mom’s ABCs and toured around the world performing concerts. She is currently filming the Sony Pictures comedy NO HARD FEELINGS opposite Matthew Broderick and Jennifer Lawrence as well as The SHADE based on the award-winning short of the same name. Her performance in all forms of media have been called “a revelation,” “almost steals the show,” "one of our finest stage actresses,” a bold and energetic impression,” "stylish, witty and sneaklily funny,” and “show-stealing performance.”
Billy Stritch provides musical direction when Laura joins her mom Linda focusing on mother-daughter relationships in a sweet and touchingly humorous way. Mom has been seen in such shows as “The Odyssey,” “The Fantastics,” “Camelot,” “The Music Man,” “A Little Night Music,” “No, No, Nanette,” and “Guys and Dolls,” and many more. Now she has a vocal studio in New Jersey where she teaches local students to Broadway stars.
Linda is happily postponing retirement to go across country with Laura in a new entertainment endeavor with prior stops at 54 Below and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. For tickets ($95, 85, and 75), call Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, Westport at 203-227-4177 or online at box-office@westportplayhouse.org.
Come hear these two special ladies share meaningful parenting stories and styles, Linda's love of Judy Garland, sing duets like “Children Will Listen,” Laura sing a medley of songs from “My Fair Lady,” and originals songs she wrote herself and gift the audience with a rare present of their true affection as mother/ daughter, proving over again that “Mothers Know Best.” Sorry, Robert Young, you’ve been replaced.
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