‘Oleanna’ will move to Broadway this fall

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At long last, ‘Oleanna’ is going to Broadway.

The revival of David Mamet’s 1992 play, starring Julia Stiles and Bill Pullman and directed by Doug Hughes, opened at the Mark Taper Forum on June 5 to largely positive reviews. It will open at the John Golden Theater on Oct. 11.

This will be the first time the play, which revolves around a power struggle between a university professor and his student, has been seen on Broadway. “Oleanna” had its world premiere in May 1992 in Cambridge, Mass., around the time of the he-said/she-said Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings. That production starred William H. Macy and Rebecca Pidgeon. It premiered off-Broadway at the Orpheum Theatre the same year, again starring Macy and Pidgeon and staged by the playwright. Later, Treat Williams took over the role of the professor. And in 1993, the play had its London premiere at the Royal Court Theatre, notably staged by Harold Pinter.

The Broadway production of “Oleanna” is co-produced by Center Theatre Group and Jeffrey Finn.

“Oleanna” will be the second Mamet play to bow on Broadway this season. “Race,” a new play starring James Spader and Kerry Washington in their Broadway debuts, will open at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Dec. 6.

Also off-Broadway this fall, New York’s Atlantic Theater Company will present “Two Unrelated Plays by David Mamet: Keep Your Pantheon and School.” “Keep Your Pantheon” was seen last year at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City.

— Lisa Fung

Related coverage:

Review: ‘Oleanna’ at the Mark Taper Forum

Chris Pine, Chris Noth take in ‘Oleanna’ at the Taper

The hells of acting in film and on the stage

Bill Pullman, Julia Stiles discuss ‘Oleanna’

Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles set for ‘Oleanna’ at the Taper