After an industry reading in New York last year, Matthew Lombardo’s new play “When Playwrights Kill” is headed to Boston’s Huntington Theatre. The world-premiere production will run from April 3-18. Directed by Noah Himmelstein, the backstage comedy follows an aspiring playwright who decides drastic measures are needed when a notoriously difficult actor threatens to derail his play’s out-of-town production.
Tony Award winner Matt Doyle will take on the role of playwright Jack Hawkins with Tony winner Beth Leavel as diva Brooke Remington. Three-time Tony nominee Kevin Chamberlin will appear as the show-within-a-show’s director, Oliver Kendall Walker, who is trying to keep Hawkins and Remington from killing each other (literally). Tony winner Marissa Jaret Winokur will portray Liz Jennings, the unruffled stage manager trying her best to impose order on the chaos. Broadway veteran Adam Heller will appear as Freddie Carlton, a down-on-his-luck producer desperate to revive his career, and Broadway alum Tomás Matos will play Tobias Deschanel, the diva’s offstage, in-ear prompter — who is also a felon.
“When Playwrights Kill” is being produced by Naughty Playwright, LLC, Bryan McCaffrey, Laura Z. Barket, Alan Seales, Raymond Esposito, Amy Wen, and Jason and Kira Turchin. General Management will be by BPM Theatrical, and casting is by Nick Peciaro.
McCaffrey has earned Broadway credits as a co-producer of “Operation Mincemeat” and “John Proctor Is the Villain.” Barket has been a Broadway co-producer, most recently on “Suffs.” Seales co-produced “The Wiz” as well as the in rep “Dana H.” and “Is This a Room.” Esposito was a co-producer on “How to Dance in Ohio,” Wen co-produced “John Proctor” and “Real Women Have Curves,” Jason Turchin is currently a co-producer on “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)” with other previous credits and Kira Turchin has co-produced “Smash” among others.
Further casting and creative team for “When Playwrights Kill” will be announced.
