Allison Janney and John Benjamin Hickey Return to Broadway as Six Degrees of Separation Begins

John Guare’s Six Degrees of Separation returns to Broadway tonight in a new revival directed by Trip Cullman. The production starring Tony nominee Allison Janney, Tony winner John Benjamin Hickey and Corey Hawkins opens on April 25 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. The limited engagement will play for 15 weeks, through July 16.

Inspired by a true story, Six Degrees of Separation centers on Ouisa (Janney) and Flan Kittredge (Hickey), a wealthy New York couple who take in Paul (Hawkins), a young man who cons them into believing he’s a friend of their son at Harvard and the son of Sidney Poitier. After they discover his lies, Ouisa and Flan piece together his true identity and their connection to Paul, as well as the similar encounters their upper-class friends have had with the young con man.

Janney steps into a role originated in 1990 by her fellow West Wing Emmy winner Stockard Channing (who also reprised the role in the 1993 film). John Cunningham played Flan in the original Broadway mounting with future Tony winner Courtney B. Vance as Paul.

The revival cast also includes Lisa Emery, Michael Countryman, Michael Siberry, Tony Carlin, James Cusati-Moyer, Ned Eisenberg, Keenan Jolliff, Peter Mark Kendall, Cody Kastro, Sarah Mezzanotte, Colby Minifie as Tess, Paul O’Brien, Chris Perfetti and Ned Riseley.

The design team includes Mark Wendland (sets), Clint Ramos (costumes), Ben Stanton (lighting), Darron L. West (sound), Lucy Mackinnon (projections) and Charles LaPointe (wigs).