Bradley Cooper Eyes Broadway Run in The Elephant Man

Bradley Cooper may star in The Elephant Man on Broadway, according to E! Online. Cooper recently completed a run in Bernard Pomerance’s Tony-winning 1979 play at Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts, directed by Scott Ellis. 

"We're going to try to do it on Broadway next fall," Cooper said. "We're going to try to nail it down and do a limited run." 

The Elephant Man is based on the life of John Merrick, detailing his desperate existence in a Victorian freak show to his days as the toast of London high society. Pomerance weaves Merrick’s tale into a parable on beauty, innocence, and human dignity. The play premiered on Broadway in 1979, starring Phillip Anglim and Carole Shelley and won four Tony Awards, including Best Play. John Hurt played the title role in a feature film in 1980 that received eight Oscar nominations. The play was revived on Broadway in 2002 starring Billy Crudup.

Cooper has appeared on Broadway in Three Days of Rain and at Williamstown in The Understudy. He has appeared on film and TV in The Hangover, Limitless, The A-Team, The Hangover Part II, Nip/Tuck, Alias and Kitchen Confidential.

"We're thrilled that Bradley wants to continue exploring the role of John Merrick," said Williamstown Artistic Director Jenny Gersten to Broadway.com. "The entire production of The Elephant Man at Williamstown was definitely a season highlight, although there is nothing confirmed beyond that at this point."

The Elephant Man played Williamstown’s Nikos Stage from July 25 to August 5. In addition to Cooper, the cast included Patricia Clarkson, Shuler Hensley, Scott Lowell, Alessandro Nivola, Marguerite Stimpson and Henry Stram.