Anne Heche with Ray Liotta and Robert Duvall in 'John Q.'
Photo by New Line Cinema
Heche will be making her Broadway debut as the troubled daughter of a math genius who may or may not have inherited his mental illness. She replaces the run's second actress in the role, Jennifer Jason Leigh, whose contract is up June 30. No other casting had been announced; the three other castmates' contracts are also said to be up June 30.
Mary-Louise Parker (Prelude to a Kiss, "Fried Green Tomatoes") created the central role in the David Auburn play when it began Off-Broadway at Manhattan Theatre Club May 23, 2000. She won the Best Actress Tony when it moved to the Walter Kerr Theatre in 2000-2001, and Auburn picked up the Best Play Tony Award and the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Jennifer Jason Leigh ("The Anniversary Party," Cabaret on Broadway) took over the role of Catherine in September 2001. *
A spokesman previously confirmed to Playbill On-Line that Heche was in discussions to take on the angst-ridden character in the play. Heche's most high profile role may have been in the Harrison Ford picture, "Six Days Seven Nights," and she became widely known for having been Ellen Degeneres' partner and for a very public breakdown, which she chronicled in her memoir, "Call Me Crazy."
Heche recently appeared in "John Q.," opposite Denzel Washington and will be seen in "Prozac Nation," with Christina Ricci, due out early next year. Recent film credits include "Auggie Rose," "The Third Miracle" and Gus Van Zant's update of "Psycho." She won The National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress for Barry Levinson's "Wag the Dog." She starred opposite Tommy Lee Jones in "Volcano" and achieved critical acclaim for "Donnie Brasco." Her films also include "The Juror," "Walking and Talking," "The Wild Side," "Twist of Fate," "Pie in the Sky," "Milk Money," "The Investigator" and "I'll Do Anything." She won an Emmy Award for her television debut on "Another World," and recently appeared in a multi-episode story arc on "Ally McBeal." Anne also appeared in a segment of "If These Walls Could Talk," directed by Cher. Heche wrote and directed a short feature, "Reaching Normal," for Showtime's "First Director Series," as well as the second installment of "If These Walls Could Talk II," starring Sharon Stone and Ellen Degeneres.
The current Broadway cast of Proof also includes Seana Kofoed, Patrick Tovatt and Josh Hamilton. The national tour, led by Chelsea Altman and Robert Foxworth, with Stephen Kunken and Tasha Lawrence, winds down in late June. Daniel Sullivan won the 2001 Tony Award for Best Director (Play) for Proof.
Proof is produced on Broadway by Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, artistic director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer), Roger Berlind, Carole Shorenstein Hays, Jujamcyn Theatres, Ostar Enterprises, Inc., Daryl Roth and Stuart Thompson.
The Walter Kerr Theatre is at 219 West 48th Street.
