Laurie Metcalf, Eddie Izzard, Russell Tovey and Patsy Ferran to Headline Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? on Broadway
Laurie Metcalf, who is currently portraying Hillary Clinton in the new play Hillary and Clinton, has already announced her next stage venture. The Tony Award winner will headline producer Scott Rudin's revival of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? next season, opposite two-time Emmy Award winner Eddie Izzard, Russell Tovey and 2019 Olivier Award winner Patsy Ferran. Directed by Joe Mantello, the limited production will start performances on March 3, 2020, with opening night set for April 9, 2020.
Albee’s Tony-winning play is a classic that first premiered in 1962 and features some of his most iconic characters. In the early hours of the morning on the campus of an American college, Martha (Metcalf), much to her husband George’s (Izzard) displeasure, has invited the new professor Nick (Tovey) and his wife Honey (Ferran) to their home for some after-party drinks. As the alcohol flows and dawn approaches, the young couple are drawn into George and Martha’s toxic games until the evening reaches its climax in a moment of devastating truth-telling.
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? will mark Metcalf’s fourth leading performance on Broadway in four seasons, following her Tony-winning triumph in A Doll’s House, Part Two in 2017, her Tony-nominated turn in Three Tall Women in 2018 and the current Hillary and Clinton, which opens on April 18. She is a stage veteran of 40 years, having started her career at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, a three-time Emmy winner for TV’s Roseanne, and a 2017 Oscar nominee for the film Lady Bird. She currently stars in the Roseanne spin-off The Conners.
Izzard made his Broadway debut in the 2003 production of Peter Nichols's A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award. He made his West End debut in The Cryptogram in 1993. Izzrd's other stage credits include Race, Oneonta, Edward II and his many solo comedy shows, including his first U.S. hit, Dress to Kill. His film and TV credits include Hannibal, Mockingbird Lane, The Riches, The Secret Agent, The Cat’s Meow, Shadow of the Vampire, Velvet Goldmine and Across the Universe.
Tovey was last seen onstage as Joe Pitt in the National Theatre production of Angels in America. On Broadway, he appeared in the original cast of The History Boys in 2006 and Ivo van Hove’s revival of A View from the Bridge in 2016. His additional stage credits include Howard Katz, Henry V, His Girl Friday and His Dark Materials. Tovey also appeared in HBO’s Looking.
Ferran just won a 2019 Olivier Award for playing Alma Winemiller in Tennessee Williams’ Summer and Smoke on the West End. Other London stage credits include Blithe Spirit, The Angry Brigade, Treasure Island, The Merchant of Venice, As You Like It, Speech and Debate, My Mum’s a Twat and Three Sisters. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? will mark her Broadway debut.
A theater for the limited run will be announced at a future date.
