Co-starring Tony Award winner John Lithgow, Academy Award winner Dianne Wiest, movie and musical theatre star Patrick Wilson and film actress Katie Holmes, the production — directed by Simon McBurney — began previews at the Schoenfeld Sept. 18. The limited engagement is currently scheduled to run through Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009.
McBurney's production features musical underscoring, dramatic film clips that are projected against the giant Keller home and a cast of actors seated in the wings, who watch the play unfold.
In addition to Lithgow (as Joe Keller), Wiest (Kate Keller), Wilson (Chris Keller) and Holmes (Ann Deever), the cast of the morality play set in post-World War II America also includes Becky Ann Baker (Sue Bayliss), Christian Camargo (George Deever), Jordan Gelber (Frank Lubey), Danielle Ferland (Lydia Lubey), Damian Young (Dr. Jim Bayliss) and Michael D'Addario (Bert) with Sherman Howard, Clark Jackson, Lizbeth MacKay, Christopher Grey Misa and Danielle Skraastad as the Neighbors.
Miller's first successful play, All My Sons won the Tony Award for the author in 1947 (and director Elia Kazan) and ran for 328 performances on Broadway. That production starred Ed Begley and Karl Malden. The play was later adapted for the screen in 1948 featuring Edward G. Robinson and Burt Lancaster. A 1987 revival was presented at the John Golden Theatre starring Richard Kiley.
According to production notes, "Miller took his inspiration from a true story about a successful businessman [Lithgow] who knowingly sold the government defective airplane parts during World War II with tragic consequences. The truth comes out and his life unravels when his son [Wilson] prepares to marry his business partner's daughter [Holmes]." Wiest plays the patriarch's wife. The design team comprises Tom Pye (sets and costumes), Paul Anderson (lights), Christopher Shutt and Carolyn Downing (sound), Finn Ross for Mesmer (projections) and Tony winner Paul Huntley (wigs and hair).
Lithgow was most recently on Broadway as con man Lawrence Jameson Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. His other recent theatrical credits include A.R. Gurney's political comedy Mrs. Farnsworth and The Retreat From Moscow. Lithgow won Tony Awards for his work in The Changing Room and Sweet Smell of Success and received Tony nominations for Scoundrels, Requiem for a Heavyweight and M. Butterfly. He was also seen in the "Dreamgirls" film as a 1970s Hollywood producer and played a limited summer engagement at the Mitzi Newhouse Theater in John Lithgow: Stories By Heart.
A two-time Academy Award winner, Wiest has appeared on Broadway in Solitaire/Double Solitaire, Frankenstein, Othello, Beyond Therapy, In the Summer House and a staged reading of Salome. She won her Oscars for her work in "Hannah and Her Sisters" and "Bullets Over Broadway" and was also nominated for her performance in "Parenthood." Wiest's numerous film credits also include "The Lost Boys," "Bright Lights Big City," "Independence Day," "Edward Scissorhands," "The Purple Rose of Cairo" and "Radio Days." She is also an Emmy Award winner for 1989's "Road to Avonlea." Wiest was recently seen Off-Broadway in the revival of The Seagull.
Wilson scored raves and a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in HBO's "Angels in America." He received Tony nominations for his work in Oklahoma! and The Full Monty and made his Broadway debut in The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm; he was also seen on Broadway in Barefoot in the Park. Wilson's screen credits include Raoul in the film of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera as well as "Purple Violets," "Running with Scissors," "Little Children," "Hard Candy" and "The Alamo." He will be seen soon in the superhero movie "Watchmen."
Holmes has been seen on screen in "Batman Begins," "Disturbing Behavior," "Teaching Mrs. Tingle," "Pieces of April" and "Dawson's Creek." All My Sons will mark the actress' Broadway debut. Holmes is married to film actor Tom Cruise.
Show times are Tuesdays at 7 PM, Wednesdays-Saturdays at 8 PM with matinees Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2 PM and Sundays at 3 PM.
The Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre is located at 236 West 45th Street. Tickets, priced $61.50-$116.50, are available through www.telecharge.com or by calling Telecharge at (212) 239-6200.
