Racy Play Steams Up Cultural Center

"Les Liaisons Dangereuses," the French play that inspired the 1988 film "Dangerous Liaisons," directed by Stephen Frears and starring Glenn Close, John Malkovich and Michelle Pfeiffer, opens Thursday at the , starring top local talent.

Seth Hendricks and radio host Bonnie Grice, recently seen in the Cultural Center's Center Stage performance of "," return to the stage, as will Adam Fronc ("") and Kasia Klimiuk (""). Rounding out the cast are Brooke Alexander, Barbara Jo Howard, Susan Cincotta and Julie King, and Michael Disher directs.

Written by Christopher Hampton, and adapted from the 1782 novel of the same name by Pierre Choderlos de Lac, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" focuses on the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont, rivals who use sex as a weapon of humiliation and degradation. As the Cultural Center describes the plot: Their targets are the virtuous (and married) Madame de Tourvel and Cécile de Volanges, a young girl who has fallen in love with her music tutor, the Chevalier Danceny. In order to gain their trust, Merteuil and Valmont pretend to help the secret lovers so they can use them later in their own treacherous scheming seductions and betrayals.

Before being adapted into a multi-Academy Award-winning film, Hampton's "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" had a successful British run and an equally successful Broadway run, according to the Cultural Center.

Opening night is Thursday, March 15, at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday performances are at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees are at 2:30 p.m. The play runs through Sunday, April 1. General admission is $22 and for students under 21 with ID admission is $12. Tickets are available at southamptonculturalcenter.org or at the door.