This fall, you won’t need a telescope to see the stars — they’re scattered all over town.
We’ve got Jake Gyllenhaal making his NY stage debut, Amy Ryan and David Schwimmer as a couple of suburbanites, and Ripley facing off against Niles—make that Sigourney Weaver versus David Hyde Pierce.
And that’s just off-Broadway. The Great White Way’s marquees will need a lot more light bulbs for all its boldface names this season: Al Pacino, Paul Rudd, Jessica Chastain, b, Henry Winkler and — drumroll, please — Katie Holmes.
This will be Holmes’ second trip to Broadway: She made her debut four years ago as the grieving girlfriend in Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons,” in which critics found her “girlish” and “earnest.”
This time, the non-Cruise-controlled Holmes will star in the new dark comedy “Dead Accounts” — and its playwright couldn’t be happier.
“I’ve been a fan of hers forever,” says Theresa Rebeck, who also created TV’s “Smash.”
“I was one of those people who felt her debut in ‘Dawson’s Creek’ was really striking — I couldn’t take my eyes off her!”
Did Holmes even have to audition?
“Absolutely not!” Rebeck cries. “Nobody did. It’s a top-notch cast.” Indeed, Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz, Jayne Houdyshell, Josh Hamilton and Judy Greer co-star in this prodigal son-like tale of a New York financier who returns to his family in Ohio— Holmes’ and Rebeck’s home state. Jack O’Brien (“Hairspray”) directs; previews start Nov. 3 at the Music Box Theatre. Here’s where you’ll find more of this season’s brightest stars:
JAKE GYLLENHAAL
“If There Is I Haven’t Found ItYet” (opens Sept. 20 at the Laura Pels)
Word is the “Brokeback Mountain” star acquits himself nobly as a drifter who reaches out to his overweight niece in Nick Payne’s drama, featuring an onstage flood and the formidable Irish actor Brian F. O’Byrne (“Doubt,” “Frozen”) as the girl’s father.
JESSICA CHASTAIN
“The Heiress” (previews start Oct. 7 at the Walter Kerr)
It’s hard to imagine anyone topping Cherry Jones’ Tony-winning turn in this NewYork love story, but then, Chastain — who brightened “The Help,” “The Debt,” and no fewer than five other flicks last year —bears watching, especially when accompanied by Dan Stevens, the blue-eyed boy of Brit hit “Downton Abbey,” as her mysterious suitor, and the excellent David Strathairn (“Good Night, and Good Luck”) as her steely, controlling dad.
AL PACINO
“Glengarry Glen Ross” (previews start Oct. 16 at the Gerald Schoenfeld)
Last time on Broadway he was Shylock. Now Pacino’s playing Shelley Levine, the desperate salesman of David Mamet’s 1982 scorcher, set in a Chicago real-estate sales office that’s more like a shark tank. Flashing his fins as Ricky Roma, the salesman Pacino played in the 1992 flick, is the terrific Bobby Cannavale. Rounding out the cast are “West Wing” alum Richard Schiff and former “Clybourne Park” resident (and Tony nominee) Jeremy Shamos.
PAUL RUDD
“Grace” (previews start tomorrow at the Cort)
He was a well-meaning hippie in “My Idiot Brother” — now he’s a wide-eyed believer who hopes to make his fortune off a chain of Gospel-themed motels in Craig Wright’s dramedy. Last time Rudd played Broadway, he starred with Julia Roberts and Bradley Cooper; this time, he’s got “Boardwalk Empire” star Michael Shannon and that time-tested curmudgeon, Ed Asner. Hallelujah!