HOLLYWOOD ROYALTY RETURNS TO LIFE AS STEPHANIE ZIMBALIST PORTRAYS KATHARINE HEPBURN IN MATTHEW LOMBARDO'S "TEA AT FIVE"

    /24-7PressRelease/ - LAS VEGAS, NV, August 19, 2006 - Her film career spanned seven decades, and she was perhaps the most decorated actor, male or female, in the industry. She won more Academy Awards for lead roles than anyone, and her 12 nominations in the Best Actress category stood as a record until 2003 when Meryl Streep surpassed her total with 13. In her work, Katharine Hepburn transformed herself from the key actress of a generation into thespian royalty, an uncontested icon of live theater and cinematic art. In her private life, her 25-year love affair with actor Spencer Tracy is the stuff Hollywood legends are made of, and so are her bouts with Hollywood itself. Katharine Hepburn now beckons us into her Connecticut home for a cozy chat and an intimate look at the legend, and the woman based behind the legend. Join us for a cup of tea, won't you?

Based on the critically acclaimed New York production, the independent, intelligent, feisty Hepburn comes to life once again when stage and television veteran Stephanie Zimbalist slips into the voice and being of perhaps the world's most famous actress. "Tea At Five" opens in 1938, when the 31-year-old Hepburn is five years beyond her first Oscar-winning performance and after being branded "box office poison", she anxiously awaits to hear if she will play 'Scarlett O'Hara' in "Gone With The Wind."

Progressing through time, the story moves to 1983 when the ravages of Parkinson's disease have taken its toll. Her melodic voice is now shaky, her hand clutches a cane for support but her fiery spirit still shines through her eyes. When she passed away in 2003 it was said that the world would never again see a star with such grace, style, poise and beautiful qualities. In her portrayal of the legendary Hepburn, Stephanie Zimbalist has captured them all.

Performances of "Tea At Five" are scheduled from September 19th through October 1st at The Ordway Theatre in St. Paul, Minnesota. For more information on "Tea At Five" visit http://www.ordway.org or http://www.teaatfive.com.

Stephanie Zimbalist has been acting for nearly four decades. Her love for the theater began at the age of twelve while attending the Brown Ledge Camp in Mallett's Bay, Vermont. She took the stage at age 15 as the lead in "Little Mary Sunshine" and never looked back. Her resume includes stage appearances in "Festival", "The Tempest", "The Cherry Orchard", "The Baby Dance", "The Crimson Thread", "Ad Wars", "My One and Only" and "The Night of the Iguana' with her father Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., 31 made-for-television movies and guest appearances in television shows such as "Judging Amy", "Touched By An Angel" and "Crossing Jordan". Zimbalist starred in the NBC hit series "Remington Steele" and earned a Golden Globe nomination for her work in the Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation "Caroline?"

"Tea At Five" playwright Matthew Lombardo made his professional debut in the 1979 production of "Damn Yankees" directed by Irene Lewis. A Connecticut native, Lombardo left for the bright lights of New York City and quickly built an impressive resume that includes writing and directing. His list of accomplishments grew quickly and includes directing such plays as the 20th Anniversary production of "Torch Song Trilogy" and the Off-Broadway comedy "End of the World Party". He hit close to home when he wrote and directed the acclaimed "Guilty Innocence". He dedicates "Tea At Five" to his mother, Julia, whom without there would be no words.

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