TV Stars Shine on Broadway Next Season

Broadway's 2011-2012 season is continuing to shape up: This week, Lincoln Center Theater announced that Rachel Griffiths, Judith Light, Stockard Channing, Stacy Keach, and Thomas Sadoski will star in its Broadway production of Jon Robin Baitz’s critically acclaimed new play Other Desert Cities this fall. The production, to be directed by Joe Mantello, begins performances Wednesday, October 12 and opens on Thursday, November 3 at the Booth Theater (222 West 45 Street).

The play had its premiere at Lincoln Center Theater last winter where it was an immediate sell-out during its limited engagement run at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater. It won the 2011 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play, and was also nominated for multiple Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel Awards, including Best Play.

Channing, Keach and Sadoski will be returning to their roles from the off-Broadway production, while Light will take over from Linda Lavin and Griffiths (late of TV's Brothers & Sisters and Six Feet Under) will be making her Broadway debut. (Elizabeth Marvel played the role off-Broadway).
 
The other major announcement is that Sex and the City star (and Tony-winner) Cynthia Nixon will be returning to Broadway in the first major revival of Margaret Edson's Pulitzer prize-winning Wit (sometimes spelled W;t—semicolons are significant to the story. No, really.).

The production will be produced by Manhattan Theater Club, and the company's artistic director, Lynne Meadow, will direct the play. Preview performances are scheduled to begin on January 5, 2012, and the play will open on January 26 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theater.

What ties these two productions together? Judith Light took over for the lead in the original production of Wit in 2000. See? Everything is connected.

Tickets for both shows will be available on www.telecharge.com.