Playwright Jez Butterworth and director Sam Mendes collaborated once again on a new play “The Hills of California.” It will begin previews at Broadway’s Broadhurst Theatre on September 11, ahead of an opening on September 29.
“The Hills of California” premiered at the Harold Pinter Theatre on the West End in January. Before heading to the Main Stem this fall, the Olivier Award-nominated play will complete its current run in London, with a closing date on June 15.
Set in 1976’s Blackpool, an English seaside town, “The Hills of California” tells the story of the Webb sisters who return home where their mother lies dying upstairs. The play flashes back to 50s when the sisters rehearse songs for their act, under the management of their mother. Sweet memories of the past undergo a change with the arrival of an American record producer who offers them a shot at fame and a chance to escape.
While casting of the Broadway production is expected to be revealed at a later date, the London production’s creative team will reprise their work on Broadway, including scenic and costume designer Rob Howell, lighting designer Natasha Chivers, composer and sound designer Nick Powell, choreographer Ellen Kane, music supervisor Candida Caldicot, and associate director Zoé Ford Burnett.
Sonia Friedman Productions, No Guarantees Productions, Neal Street, Brian Spector, and Sand & Snow Entertainment, with Stephanie P. McClelland, helm the production of “The Hills of California.”
The highly-awaited show marks Butterworth and Mendes’ second reunion on Broadway since their 2018 play “The Ferryman,” where the pair each earned Tony Awards.
Tony Award-nominated Laura Donnelly, who won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress for her performance in the creative duo’s “The Ferryman” in 2018, is currently portraying both Veronica (mother) / Joan (one of the sisters) in the West End production.
Theatergoers can find presale tickets via the show’s official website.