After months of circling Broadway for the right venue and dates, the upcoming revival of Lanford Wilson’s combustible drama Burn This has secured a home at the Hudson Theatre, where it was originally planned for early 2017.
The four-character play will star previously announced leads Adam Driver and Keri Russell, with Tony nominees David Furr and Brandon Uranowitz completing the cast.
Michael Mayer will direct the new staging, which swoops in on a prime vacancy created at the Hudson by the Jan. 6 closing of another Mayer production, the Go-Go’s musical Head Over Heels.
First seen in 1987 in a celebrated production that paired John Malkovich and Joan Allen, Burn This is a smoldering story of love and raw attraction set in gritty 1980s New York. It centers on two strangers brought together by an untimely death who forge an explosive connection.
David Binder, who last teamed with director Mayer on the hit 2014 revival of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, is lead producer on the Wilson play, which has assembled a Tony-winning design team of Derek McLane (sets), Clint Ramos (costumes) and Natasha Katz (lighting).
Previews start March 15 at the Hudson, with an official opening set for April 16. General ticket sales begin Dec. 2.
The play marks Driver’s return to Broadway for the first time since 2011, while Russell will make her Broadway debut, following six seasons on the critically adored FX series The Americans.
Furr was last on Broadway in a 2016 revival of Noises Off, earning a Tony nomination for his role. Uranowitz received Tony nominations in 2015 for An American in Paris and in 2017 for Falsettos. He is currently appearing in the musical The Band’s Visit.
The Broadway revival of Burn This was originally announced to reopen the newly restored Hudson in early 2017, with Jake Gyllenhaal slated to play the role of coke-snorting restaurant manager Pale. Those plans fell apart due to Gyllenhaal’s scheduling conflicts, and the play got back on track late last year with Driver in the role.
Source: https://ew.com/
