Broadway Stars Broadcast in New Fall TV Show Premieres

By Ernio Hernandez
13 Sep 2006

Theatre fans who love to see their stage stars — like John Lithgow, Taye Diggs, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Victor Garber — on the small screen should ready their sets, as the new fall television season is underway.

Among the new shows with stage veterans that have already premiered include FOX shows "Justice" (Wednesdays, 9 PM) with Victor Garber (Sweeney Todd, Assassins), "Standoff" (Tuesdays, 9 PM) with Rosemarie DeWitt (Danny and the Deep Blue Sea) and Gina Torres (The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public) and "'Til Death" (Thursdays, 8 PM) starring Brad Garrett (The Odd Couple), Joely Fisher (Cabaret) and Eddie Kaye Thomas (Dog Sees God, The Diary of Anne Frank).

For the coming weeks, Playbill.com offers a new show rundown (by premiere date) of when to set your TiVo or DVR (or VCR) to catch your favorite stage actors. (All times ET. Check your local listings.)

  • Sept. 15: "Men in Trees" ABC (Fridays, 9 PM)
    Anne Heche (Proof, Twentieth Century) stars along with Emily Bergl (A Touch of the Poet, The Rivals) and Seana Kofoed (The Bald Soprano and The Lesson).

  • Sept. 18: "The Class" CBS (Mondays, 8 PM)
    Jason Ritter (Third) stars with Andrea Anders (The Graduate), Heather Goldenhersh (Doubt) and Jesse Tyler Ferguson (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee). Julie Halston (Gypsy) and Sam Harris (The Life).

  • Sept. 18: "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" NBC (Mondays, 10 PM)
    A Few Good Men playwright Aaron Sorkin pens for stars Matthew Perry (Sexual Perversity in Chicago), Amanda Peet (Barefoot in the Park), Bradley Whitford (A Few Good Men, Three Days of Rain), Sarah Paulson (The Glass Menagerie, Colder Than Here), Steven Weber (The Producers) and Timothy Busfield (A Few Good Men). Evan Handler (Six Degrees of Separation, I Hate Hamlet), Michael Stuhlbarg (The Pillowman, Cabaret) and Donna Murphy (Wonderful Town) also appear.

  • Sept. 19: "Smith" CBS (Tuesdays, 10 PM)
    Ray Liotta (Match) stars with Chris Bauer (A Streetcar Named Desire).

  • Sept. 20: "Jericho" CBS (Wednesdays, 8 PM)
    Michael Gaston (A Day in the Death of Joe Egg) appears.

  • Sept. 20: "Kidnapped" NBC (Wednesdays, 10 PM)
    Jeremy Sisto (Festen), Delroy Lindo (Joe Turner's Come and Gone), Dana Delany (Translations) and Timothy Hutton (Prelude to a Kiss) are featured.

  • Sept. 21: "Six Degrees" ABC (Thursdays, 10 PM)
    Hope Davis (Spinning Into Butter), Campbell Scott (Ah, Wilderness!) and Dorian Missick (A Soldier's Play) are in the cast. Deborah S. Craig (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) will recur.

  • Sept. 24: "Brothers & Sisters" ABC (Sundays, 10 PM)
    Calista Flockhart (The Glass Menagerie) stars opposite Ron Rifkin (Cabaret) and Sally Field (The Goat). Jon Robin Baitz (The Paris Letter, Ten Unknowns) writes.

  • Sept. 28: "Betty the Ugly" ABC (Thursdays, 8 PM)
    America Ferrera (Dog Sees God) stars with Vanessa L. Williams (Into The Woods).

  • Oct. 4: "The Nine" ABC (Wednesdays, 10 PM)
    Tim Daly (The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial) and Scott Wolf (Side Man, Observe the Sons of Ulster...) are in the cast.

  • Oct. 11: "30 Rock" NBC (Wednesdays, 8 PM)
    Alec Baldwin (Entertaining Mr. Sloane) and Jane Krakowski (Nine, Grand Hotel) appears with "Saturday Night Live" alum Tina Fey, Rachel Dratch and Tracy Morgan.

  • Oct. 11: "20 Good Years" NBC (Wednesdays, 8:30 PM)
    John Lithgow (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and Jeffrey Tambor (Glengarry Glen Ross) star with Heather Burns (Fran's Bed, Lobby Hero).

  • Nov. 15: "Day Break" ABC (Wednesdays, 9 PM)
    Taye Diggs (Rent) stars in this mid-season show to run during the "Lost" hiatus.

    Other shows expected to air (with no premiere dates as yet set) include:

  • "Big Day" ABC
    Miriam Shor (Dedication, Hedwig and the Angry Inch) and Wendy Malick (Burleigh Grime$) appear.

  • "The Black Donnellys" NBC (Thursdays, 10 PM, starting in January) Keith Nobbs (Dog Sees God, Romance) is featured.

  • "Notes from the Underbelly" ABC
    Jennifer Westfeldt (Wonderful Town) stars.

  • "The Wedding Album" FOX (January, Fridays, 9 PM)
    Ashlie Atkinson (Fat Pig) appears.

    Due to the expansive nature of television, this list is not comprehensive.