Theater Going on the Road

Don Gregory assembled the talent for the revival of “The Belle of Amherst,” then handed off the project to the Laguna Playhouse to run with across the country from now through mid-April.

Producing a national tour is a first for the 80-year-old playhouse, said Richard Stein, its executive director. The opportunity grew out of a friendship he struck up with Gregory when they met about three years ago.

Gregory began attending each of the theater’s opening nights; when Stein learned that Gregory aimed to revive “The Belle” for a 25th-anniversary tour with Julie Harris, the show’s original star, he proposed originating it at the Laguna Playhouse.

A playhouse technical staffer and a production manager will travel with the show.

“What we have to gain is some recognition,” Stein said, plus a little money. The real payoff would be a heightened profile and national respect, which Stein said could help win rights to hot plays and lure top talent.