When the curtain goes up on the Harvard Theater Workshop's production of Troilus and Cressida next week, the most beautiful woman in Massachusetts will play the role of the most beautiful woman in the ancient world.

HTW director Peter Temple revealed that Barbara Laughton, Miss Massachusetts of 1948, will portray Helen of Troy in the Shakespearian comedy.

Miss Laughton was selected only after a long search to find some one who could fill the requirements of classical beauty posed by the part, Temple said. When Helen reigned as beauty queen of Troy, fashion had it that women were of generous proportions. Padding was a term used only to describe a cat's means of locomotion.

The measurements that brought Miss Laughton the modern beauty prize are the same the ancients appreciated. HTW's Helen distributes 143 pounds over 5 ft., 10 in. Her vital statistics are 36"-26"-36," reading from top to bottom.

This will be Miss Massachusetts first stage appearance.