Alicia Silverstone returns to Broadway this upcoming to fall to star in “The Performers.” On October 23, the play begins previews at the Longacre Theater and will officially open November 14.
Silverstone is a veteran of the stage, screen, and television industries. Her rise to fame came with the role of Cher in the 1995 film Clueless. However, it wasn’t until 2002 that Silverstone made her Broadway debut in the stage adaptation of “The Graduate.” She most recently played opposite Laura Linney in “Time Stands Still” in 2010.
“The Performers” is a romantic comedy that explores love and relationships within the porn industry. The production tells the story of two highs school friends who reunite in Las Vegas at the Adult Film Awards. Alicia Silverstone and Ari Graynor play the girlfriends of the two friends, Sara and Peeps.
Henry Winkler, of Happy Days will perform the role of a porn industry veteran. The cast of “The Performers” also includes Cheyenne Jackson, Daniel Breaker, and Jenni Barber. Jackson currently stars on the hit television series 30 Rock. Breaker was nominated for a Tony award for his performance in “Shrek the Musical.”
This play was penned by David West Read. Evan Cabnet, who also directed Read’s latest comedy “The Dream of the Burning Boy,” will direct “The Performers.” This production is Cabnet’s Broadway directorial debut. Cabnet recently won the 2008 Claire Tow Award for Emerging Artists. Read is a graduate of both the Lila Acheson Wallace Playwrights Program at The Julliard School and the Tisch School of the Arts’ Dramatic Writing Program.
In an interview with Adam Szymkowicz in May 2011, Read discussed his passion for playwriting. He stated, “I like to think that it really means something to the person writing it, and that that ‘something’ isn’t praise, or recognition, or money.”
Read also discussed playwriting during an UPSTAGE interview about the production of “The Dream of the Burning Boy.” He said “I love the freedom and the immediacy of theatre. TV and particularly film work can take years and years to develop, but if you write a play, you can gather a few friends and get it up on its feet immediately.”
Evan Cabnet talked to UPSTAGE about his collaboration and working relationship with Read stating, “He and I have very similar sensibilities, so it became clear very quickly that he and I would make a good team. We’ve been collaborating on the play ever since, and I’m one of his biggest fans.”
Anna Louizos (set design), Jeff Croiter (lighting design), Nevin Steinberg (sound design), and Jessica Wegener Shay (costume design) round out the creative team. “The Performers” is produced by Robyn Goodman, Scott Delman, and Amanda Lipitz.
On August 13, tickets for “The Performers” went on sale to the general public. Pre-sale tickets were available to Audience Reward members from August 7-12. For more information on the cast, performance schedules, and tickets, visit the play’s official website.
