:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Tom-Hanks-That-Thing-You-Do-110624-NA-tout-d517a235093747949aec98449b8b9245.jpg)
Tom Hanks is set to make a rare return to live theater with a new play he co-wrote and plans to star in, called This World of Tomorrow. The sci-fi romance will premiere Off-Broadway at The Shed in New York City this October.
The play, which Hanks co-wrote with James Glossman, tells the story of a lonely scientist who travels back in time to the 1939 World's Fair in Queens in search of love. Hanks will lead a cast of 10 to 12 actors in the 550-seat theater at the arts center on Manhattan's West Side.
"To explore the themes of 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.
The play will be directed by Tony-winning Director Kenny Leon, who said, "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."
Tickets to This World of Tomorrow go on sale on July 24, with Shed member presale beginning on July 15.
Related News
The Voice Crowns Season 27 Winner Adam David Takes the Top Spot The Voice Winners' Prize: What Do They Get? Jonathan Van Ness and Julie Murphy's New YA Novel 'Let Them Stare' is a Message for LGBTQ Youth Adam David Crowned The Voice Season 27 Champion Austin Butler Stars in Gritty 'Caught Stealing' Trailer with Zoe Kravitz and Bad Bunny
The Shed's artistic director, Alex Poots, told the New York Times that Hanks' team reached out last year about developing the project at the venue. He didn't hesitate. "He's one of the most beloved and trusted storytellers of our time," Poots said, calling the play "a classic love story" that also nods to the global unrest brewing in 1939.
The show joins a busy upcoming season at The Shed, which also includes Viola's Room, an immersive audio experience narrated by Helena Bonham Carter and created by the people behind Sleep No More, and a revival of Tarell Alvin McCraney's The Brothers Size starring André Holland.
For more entertainment news, check out Jessica Biel Opens Up About Relating to Her Character in 'The Better Sister', Ashley Breaks Down in Tears as She Opens Up About Her Divorce from Ex Tyler for the First Time, and Jessica Simpson Reveals How She Overcame Her Nerves for First TV Performance in 15 Years.