Off-Broadway's The Shed has added a world premiere play from Tom Hanks and James Glossman to its upcoming season. The World of Tomorrow, based on Hanks' short stories, will play the company's Griffin Theater beginning October 30 and continuing through December 21. Tony winner Kenny Leon will direct.
Two-time Academy Award winner Hanks will also star in the work, playing Bert Allenberry, a scientist from the future who travels through time to 1939's World's Fair in Queens, New York, in search of true love. The story comes from a collection of Hanks' short stories that was published in 2017. Additional casting is to be announced.
鈥淭o 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鈥檚 Fair of 1939,鈥� says Hanks in a statement.
"I'm excited to collaborate with the remarkable Tom Hanks on his and James Glossman's new play at The Shed this fall," adds Leon. "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. 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鈥檛 wait to bring to life in the Griffin Theater."
Hanks is best known for his screen work in such titles as Sleepless in Seattle, Big, Apollo 13, and Forrest Gump. He made his Broadway debut in 2013's Lucky Guy, earning a Tony Award for his performance. His last stage performance was as Falstaff in Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles' 2018 Henry IV. This upcoming performance will be his first New York stage performance in more than a decade.
Tickets go on sale for Shed members July 15, with general sales beginning July 24 at .
See Hanks in Lucky Guy in the gallery below.
