Tom Hanks to Star in ‘This World of Tomorrow' Play, Which He Wrote, This Fall
Tom Hanks will wear many hats this fall when he stars in a new off-Broadway play, This World of Tomorrow, based on his own short stories via a script he co-wrote with playwright James Glossman. Kenny Leon, who directed the production of Othello starring Denzel Washington and a recent revival of Our Town, will also direct.
The plot centers on Bert Allenberry (Hanks' character), a time-traveling scientist from the future visiting the 1939 World's Fair in Queens in search of true love. Allenberry makes the trip through time again and again in the play, which will get its world premiere at the New York City venue, the Shed. Previews begin Oct. 30 and the production will run through Dec. 21. Tickets go on sale July 24.
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'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.
'It will be a joy to experience Tom leading the cast on stage in this time-traveling adventure of the limitless power of love and the distance one is willing to go for it,' Leon said. '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 I can't wait to bring to life in the [Shed's] Griffin Theater.'
Hanks last took the stage a little over a decade ago in Lucky Guy, a play written by Nora Ephron (who directed Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail). Hanks' performance in that play garnered Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle, and Tony Award nominations.
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