In 2021, as Broadway was in the process of reopening following the lengthy pandemic shutdown, mega-producer Scott Rudin announced that he would “step back” from the numerous shows he had in development (including the revival of “The Music Man” with Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster) amid allegations of workplace abuse, including reports of verbal harassment and intimidation toward assistants and staff, which prompted a firestorm of criticism and public outcry.
In a move certain to stir conversation across the theater industry, Rudin will officially return to Broadway this fall with “Little Bear Ridge Road,” a new play by Samuel D. Hunter that will star Laurie Metcalf and Micah Stock under the direction of Joe Mantello. The 18-week limited engagement begins October 7 at the Booth Theatre.
The decision to return with “Little Bear Ridge Road,” a new work by a leading voice in contemporary American drama, appears to be a calculated one that emphasizes Rudin’s longstanding commitment to serious, writer-driven new plays and veteran theater artists. At the time of the shutdown, Rudin was producing a Broadway revival of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” starring Metcalf and directed by Mantello.
Hunter, who makes his Broadway debut with the production, is best known for “The Whale” (adapted into an Oscar-winning film) and has earned acclaim for his depictions of working-class life in the American interior. “Little Bear Ridge Road,” which recently premiered at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, centers on a sharp-tongued aunt (Metcalf) and her estranged nephew (Stock), who reunite to sell a crumbling house in rural Idaho.
Audra McDonald Scales Back to Seven Shows a Week in ‘Gypsy’
Beginning July 20, Tony Award nominee Montego Glover (“Memphis”) will step into the iconic role of Rose during Sunday matinee performances of the Broadway revival of “Gypsy” in July and August, while six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald will continue to play Rose at other performances. Last week, Glover took over the role during McDonald’s scheduled vacation. This arrangement mirrors recent Broadway practices in shows like “Funny Girl” and “Sunset Boulevard,” with alternate leads stepping at scheduled weekly performances so that the main leads can preserve their vocal and physical stamina. In similar news, Megan Hilty, who departed the Broadway musical “Death Becomes Her” last month due to a vocal injury, will return on Wednesday, July 9, but with a reduced performance schedule through July 19.
Playwright Richard Greenberg dies at age 67
Richard Greenberg, the prolific playwright best known for character-driven dramas such as “Take Me Out” and “Three Days of Rain,” died on July 4 at the age of 67 from cancer. “Take Me Out,” which received a Tony Award for Best Play in 2003 and an acclaimed Broadway revival in 2022, explores the epic consequences of a Derek Jeter-like professional baseball player coming out as gay. “Three Days of Rain,” a memory play structured across two generations and featuring only three actors, received a high-profile 2006 Broadway revival starring Julia Roberts, Paul Rudd, and a then relatively unknown Bradley Cooper.
