Other Desert Cities Star Stockard Channing Out of the Show for Knee Surgery

Stockard Channing, the acclaimed star of Jon Robin Baitz’s Other Desert Cities, is out of the show in the days leading up to Thanksgiving for knee surgery. According to a production spokesperson, Channing “is having arthroscopic surgery today [November 21] on her knee and is expected to be back in the show the end of this week. Her understudy Lauren Klein is playing the role of Polly during her absence.” Channing missed both performances on November 19 and the matinee on November 20.

Channing plays matriarch Polly Wyeth in Other Desert Cities, which opened on November 3 at Broadway’s Booth Theatre. Baitz's family drama, set over a holiday weekend in Palm Springs, also stars Rachel Griffiths, Stacy Keach, Judith Light and Thomas Sadoski.