Tom Hanks will star in the play “This World of Tomorrow,” marking his return to Broadway for the first time in 14 years.
Hanks was last on Broadway in Nora Ephron’s play “Lucky Guy” in 2013, which earned him a Tony Award nomination. This time, the famous actor will be joined by theater veteran Kelli O’Hara, who appeared alongside him in the Off Broadway series last year at the Shed.
“This World of Tomorrow” is based on a series of short stories written by Hanks. He co-wrote the adaptation with James Glossman. Described as a “time travel romance,” the play is set in the late 21st century and follows Bert Allenberry, who is determined to change his future by returning to the past. “When Bert returns – again and again and again – to a remarkable day at the 1939 New York World’s Fair in Queens, he discovers that the future is shaped not by technology, but by the choices we make out of love,” according to the official newspaper.
Directed by Kenny Leon, whose recent Broadway credits include “The Balusters,” “Othello” with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, and “Our Town” with Jim Parsons and Katie Holmes, directs the show. It will be performed at a Shubert theater to be announced. Full casting and creative team details will be confirmed soon.
“I’m so excited to continue this work on this incredible new American play,” said Leon. “There’s no time like the present to further explore this Glossman and Hanks story of love and time travel. More than anything, I look forward to even more audiences having the chance to witness the onstage chemistry of Kelli O’Hara and Tom Hanks.”
Adds The Shed artistic director Alex Poots: “A beloved actor of our time, Tom Hanks co-created and starred in ‘This World of Tomorrow’ with the illuminating Kelli O’Hara for their sold-out run at the Shed. Reminding us that even as the world changes, the deepest human connections endure and the power of love can transcend any era. Now this story of second chances can reach an even wider audience on Broadway.”
Producer Brian Anthony Moreland described Hanks as “one of the great storytellers of our time” and called it an “incredible privilege” to bring the play to Broadway.
“There is something extraordinary about presenting a story that explores the power of love across time in a place where the magic of theater happens every night,” Moreland said. “At its heart, ‘This World of Tomorrow’ reminds us that no matter how much the world changes, the one thing that remains timeless is our capacity to love.”
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