Tom Hanks will headline the world premiere of “The World of Tomorrow,” a new play co-written with James Glossman, set to debut Off-Broadway’s this fall.
Scheduled to open October 30 and run through December 21, the production will take over The Shed’s Griffin Theater. The play is adapted from Hanks’ own collection of short stories published in 2017. Hanks will portray Bert Allenberry, a scientist from the future who ventures back to the 1939 World’s Fair in Queens, New York, on a quest to find true love.
“To explore love and yearning, and the struggles of today as we carry with us the eternal memories of the past, in such a place as The Shed, strikes me as a one-of-a-kind experience not unlike the World’s Fair of 1939,” Hanks said in a statement.
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Helming the production is Tony Award-winning director Kenny Leon. Speaking about the collaboration, Leon expressed, “I’m excited to collaborate with the remarkable Tom Hanks on his and James Glossman’s new play at The Shed this fall.”
“It will be a joy to experience Tom leading the cast on stage in this time-traveling adventure of the limitless power of love and the distance one is willing to go for it,” Leon continued. “This story explores a fascinating tale of the echoes of past generations, the often-surprising collisions between them, and what is carried forward with an authentic humor I can’t wait to bring to life in the Griffin Theater.”
Notably, Hanks last Broadway turn was in “Lucky Guy” in 2013, a performance that earned him a Tony nomination. He also took the stage as Falstaff in Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles’ “Henry IV” in 2018.
Additional casting for “The World of Tomorrow” will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets will be available to Shed members starting July 15, with general sales opening July 24 via TheShed.org.
