Tom Hanks to star in off-Broadway show based on his own short stories
Tom Hanks is returning to live theater for the world premiere of an original work this fall.
The East Bay native is set to star in the off-Broadway play 'This World of Tomorrow,' which he co-wrote with playwright James Glossman, for an eight-week run at the Griffin Theater at The Shed in New York City.
Previews are scheduled to begin Oct. 30.
Hanks will play Bert Allenberry, a scientist who continually travels back in time to the World's Fair of 1939 in a quest for true love. The project is based on a series of short stories written by Hanks.
'To explore the themes of love and yearning, and the struggles of today as we carry with us the eternal memories of the past, in such a place as The Shed, strikes me as a one-of-a-kind experience not unlike the World's Fair of 1939,' Hanks said in a statement.
Ticket presales start July 15, with general sales beginning July 24.
Kenny Leon, who recently directed 'Othello' and 'Our Town' on Broadway, will direct. The rest of the show's cast is still to be announced.
"This story explores a fascinating tale of the echoes of past generations, the often-surprising collisions between them, and what is carried forward with an authentic humor,' Leon said in a statement. 'I can't wait to bring to life in the Griffin Theater.'
Hanks' last live theater performance was in 2013, when he starred in the newsroom drama 'Lucky Guy' on Broadway. He earned a Tony Award nomination for his role as tabloid journalist Mike McAlary.
Before trekking across the coast to prepare for the show, Hanks is taking the time to make the most of his California lifestyle. Last week, he was spotted proudly wearing a green Athletics cap and matching jacket while rooting for the Athletics during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Southern California.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Patti Lupone apologizes for ‘disrespectful' comments made about fellow Broadway actors during New Yorker interview
Patti Lupone has issued an apology after making what she now describes as 'demeaning and disrespectful' comments about two fellow Broadway stars in an interview with the New Yorker last week. The 'Evita' star's apology comes after hundreds of performers from the Broadway and theater communities issued an open letter first published by Playbill and called for accountability in light of Lupone's 'deeply inappropriate and unacceptable public comments' about Broadway stars Kecia Lewis and Audra McDonald. In the interview, Lupone referred to Lewis as a 'b*tch' and said McDonald was 'not a friend,' prompting a wave of backlash against the notoriously thorny legend. Lupone had previously had public spats with both performers. 'I am deeply sorry for the words I used during The New Yorker interview, particularly about Kecia Lewis, which were demeaning and disrespectful,' Lupone wrote in a statement posted to her Instagram page Saturday. 'I regret my flippant and emotional responses during this interview, which were inappropriate, and I am devastated that my behavior has offended others and has run counter to what we hold dear in this community.' Lupone added that she hopes 'to have the chance to speak to' McDonald and Lewis personally to offer her 'sincere apologies.' The letter, which was issued to the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League, also called upon the institutions to take action by not welcoming Lupone at 'industry events,' including the Tony Awards, which are presented by the two institutions. 'This language is not only degrading and misogynistic—it is a blatant act of racialized disrespect. It constitutes bullying. It constitutes harassment,' the letter stated. 'It is emblematic of the microaggressions and abuse that people in this industry have endured for far too long, too often without consequence.' The Tony Awards are set to take place June 8. In her apology on Saturday, Lupone wrote that she 'wholeheartedly' agreed with 'everything that was written' in the open letter. 'From middle school drama clubs to professional stages, theatre has always been about lifting each other up and welcoming those who feel they don't belong anywhere else,' Lupone wrote. 'I made a mistake, I take full responsibility for it, and I am committed to making this right. Our entire theatre community deserves better.' CNN has reached out to representatives for Lupone, Lewis and McDonald for comment. In the New Yorker interview, Lupone was asked about an incident that happened last year when Lewis posted a video to her Instagram page asking for an apology from Lupone after she had called 'Hell's Kitchen,' the stage production in which Lewis stars, 'too loud.' She said Lupone, who was at the time starring in 'The Roommate' in the theater next to 'Hell's Kitchen,' had requested that the latter's sound department make adjustments. In Lewis' video, she called herself and Lupone veterans in the industry and said Lupone's actions were 'offensive' and 'racially microaggressive.' When asked about the incident by the New Yorker, Lupone responded: 'Don't call yourself a vet, b*tch.' 'This is not unusual on Broadway. This happens all the time when walls are shared,' she added. Lupone also reacted to McDonald showing support for Lewis in the comments section of the video, telling the New Yorker she thought 'that's typical of Audra.' 'She's not a friend,' she said. McDonald was asked about Lupone's comments on 'CBS This Morning' on Thursday, but seemingly took the high road. 'If there's a rift between us, I don't know what it is,' she said. 'That's something that you'd have to ask Patti about.'
Los Angeles Times
6 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Broadway star Patti LuPone apologizes for ‘demeaning' and ‘disrespectful' comments
Twenty-five years ago, on a warm summer night in Los Angeles, Broadway stars Patti LuPone and Audra McDonald closed a show at the Hollywood Bowl with back-to-back encores of 'Get Happy'/'Happy Days Are Here Again.' Today, those happy days appear to be over for the two Tony Award winners. In a May 26 interview with the New Yorker, LuPone ignited a firestorm when she referred to McDonald as 'not a friend' and refused to comment on McDonald's celebrated performance in 'Gypsy.' (McDonald is nominated for a 2025 Tony Award in the category best actress in a leading role in a musical — its her 11th nomination.) LuPone also referred to Tony winner Kecia Lewis, who, like McDonald, is Black, as a 'bitch.' Speaking with Gayle King in a 'CBS Mornings' clip, McDonald sounded surprised by LuPone's comments. 'If there's a rift between us, I don't know what it is,' she said. 'That's something that you'd have to ask Patti about. I haven't seen her in about 11 years, just because I've been busy, just with life and stuff. I don't know what rift she's talking about. You'd have to ask her.' (A full interview is set to air this week, according to a 'CBS Mornings' Instagram post.) Following public backlash, however, LuPone did something she rarely does. The outspoken diva apologized. But that was not without some stage direction. In an open letter from her colleagues in the theater community dated May 30, more than 500 actors, including Tony-winning actors Wendell Pierce, James Monroe Iglehart and Maleah Joi Moon, called LuPone's language 'racialized disrespect,' 'bullying' and 'harassment.' They asked the American Theatre Wing and Broadway League to discourage those who disparage fellow artists, including LuPone, from attending industry events 'including the Tony Awards, fundraisers, and public programs.' (The 2025 Tony Awards are scheduled for June 8 in New York, and will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+.) On Saturday, LuPone responded to the criticism in a statement on her Instagram account: 'I am deeply sorry for the words I used during The New Yorker interview, particularly about Kecia Lewis, which were demeaning and disrespectful. I regret my flippant and emotional responses during this interview, which were inappropriate, and I am devastated that my behavior has offended others ...' She went on to write that she hopes to speak to McDonald and Lewis in person. LuPone is well-versed in calling people out herself, particularly audience members who text during her theater performances. Last year, she even complained about noise from the Alicia Keys musical 'Hell's Kitchen' when she was performing in 'The Roommate' with Mia Farrow next door. After LuPone asked the theater owner to fix the sound because she found it to be too loud, Lewis took offense and posted a video on Instagram, describing LuPone's actions as 'bullying,' 'racially microaggressive' and 'rude and rooted in privilege.' She also noted that 'calling a Black show loud dismisses it.' Last year, Lewis won a Grammy for best musical theater album and a Tony in the category best performance by an actress in a featured role in a musical for 'Hell's Kitchen.' Although flippant, LuPone's words only serve to hurt everyone during a turbulent time for the arts in America, the open letter said. 'Our industry is under threat. The arts are being defunded, theater programs are disappearing, and artists are being pushed to the margins. We need each other now more than ever. We need community. We need leadership. And we need accountability.' Humbled, LuPone agreed. 'I wholeheartedly agree with everything that was written in the open letter shared yesterday,' she wrote. 'From middle school drama clubs to professional stages, theatre has always been about lifting each other up and welcoming those who feel they don't belong anywhere else. I made a mistake, and I take full responsibility for it, and I am committed to making this right. Our entire theater community deserves better.'
CNN
7 hours ago
- CNN
Patti Lupone apologizes for ‘disrespectful' comments made about fellow Broadway actors during New Yorker interview
Patti Lupone has issued an apology after making what she now describes as 'demeaning and disrespectful' comments about two fellow Broadway stars in an interview with the New Yorker last week. The 'Evita' star's apology comes after hundreds of performers from the Broadway and theater communities issued an open letter first published by Playbill and called for accountability in light of Lupone's 'deeply inappropriate and unacceptable public comments' about Broadway stars Kecia Lewis and Audra McDonald. In the interview, Lupone referred to Lewis as a 'b*tch' and said McDonald was 'not a friend,' prompting a wave of backlash against the notoriously thorny legend. Lupone had previously had public spats with both performers. 'I am deeply sorry for the words I used during The New Yorker interview, particularly about Kecia Lewis, which were demeaning and disrespectful,' Lupone wrote in a statement posted to her Instagram page Saturday. 'I regret my flippant and emotional responses during this interview, which were inappropriate, and I am devastated that my behavior has offended others and has run counter to what we hold dear in this community.' Lupone added that she hopes 'to have the chance to speak to' McDonald and Lewis personally to offer her 'sincere apologies.' The letter, which was issued to the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League, also called upon the institutions to take action by not welcoming Lupone at 'industry events,' including the Tony Awards, which are presented by the two institutions. 'This language is not only degrading and misogynistic—it is a blatant act of racialized disrespect. It constitutes bullying. It constitutes harassment,' the letter stated. 'It is emblematic of the microaggressions and abuse that people in this industry have endured for far too long, too often without consequence.' The Tony Awards are set to take place June 8. In her apology on Saturday, Lupone wrote that she 'wholeheartedly' agreed with 'everything that was written' in the open letter. 'From middle school drama clubs to professional stages, theatre has always been about lifting each other up and welcoming those who feel they don't belong anywhere else,' Lupone wrote. 'I made a mistake, I take full responsibility for it, and I am committed to making this right. Our entire theatre community deserves better.' CNN has reached out to representatives for Lupone, Lewis and McDonald for comment. In the New Yorker interview, Lupone was asked about an incident that happened last year when Lewis posted a video to her Instagram page asking for an apology from Lupone after she had called 'Hell's Kitchen,' the stage production in which Lewis stars, 'too loud.' She said Lupone, who was at the time starring in 'The Roommate' in the theater next to 'Hell's Kitchen,' had requested that the latter's sound department make adjustments. In Lewis' video, she called herself and Lupone veterans in the industry and said Lupone's actions were 'offensive' and 'racially microaggressive.' When asked about the incident by the New Yorker, Lupone responded: 'Don't call yourself a vet, b*tch.' 'This is not unusual on Broadway. This happens all the time when walls are shared,' she added. Lupone also reacted to McDonald showing support for Lewis in the comments section of the video, telling the New Yorker she thought 'that's typical of Audra.' 'She's not a friend,' she said. McDonald was asked about Lupone's comments on 'CBS This Morning' on Thursday, but seemingly took the high road. 'If there's a rift between us, I don't know what it is,' she said. 'That's something that you'd have to ask Patti about.'
