Orphans Casting Complete; Tom Sturridge Joins Alec Baldwin and Shia LaBeouf on Broadway

By Kenneth Jones
23 Jan 2013

Tom Sturridge
Tom Sturridge
Photo by Julian Broad Contour by Getty Images

Tom Sturridge, the British stage and film actor whose credits include the films "Being Julia," "Vanity Fair" and "On the Road," will make his Broadway debut in director Daniel Sullivan's new production of Lyle Kessler's Orphans, starring the previously announced Alec Baldwin and Shia LaBeouf.

The Jan. 23 announcement of Sturridge's participation completes casting of the three-character play about two young brothers (Sturridge as Phillip and LaBeouf as Treat) who kidnap a rich man, Harold (played by "30 Rock" star Alec Baldwin).

Performances begin March 19 toward an April 7 opening at the Schoenfeld Theatre, 236 W. 45th Street. This is the Broadway debut of the play. Frederick Zollo and Robert Cole produce.

In Orphans, "Two orphaned brothers are living in a decrepit North Philadelphia row house," according to production notes. "Treat, the eldest, (LaBeouf, of "Transformers" fame), supports his damaged younger sibling Phillip by petty thievery, and makes the house a virtual prison for the seemingly simple-minded Phillip. One night he kidnaps a rich older man, Harold (Baldwin), who turns out to have his own motives and becomes the father figure the boys have always yearned for."

Sturridge's other films include "Like Minds," "The Boat That Rocked," "Junkhearts" and the forthcoming "Effie" and Terrence Malick's new feature. He made his theatre debut in Simon Stephens' Punk Rock at the Lyric Hammersmith in London and at the Manchester Royal Exchange. He subsequently received the Critics' Circle Best Newcomer Award in recognition of his leading performance, along with Best Newcomer at the Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards. He was also nominated for the Milton Schulman Award for Outstanding Newcomer at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards and London Newcomer of the Year at the Whatsonstage Awards. He has since played leading roles at London's Royal Court Theatre, in Simon Stephens' play Wastwater and most recently in Polly Stenham's new play No Quarter.

Orphans premiered in 1983 at The Matrix Theatre in Los Angeles where it won the Drama-Logue Award. Following its 1985 engagement at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre, the play had a successful Off-Broadway run at New York's Westside Arts Theatre and was subsequently produced in London. A film version was also produced.

LaBeouf was most recently seen in John Hillcoat’s crime drama, "Lawless," alongside Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Guy Pearce, Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska. He will be seen next in Robert Redford’s "The Company You Keep," a thriller co-starring Redford, Julie Christie, Stanley Tucci, Susan Sarandon and Chris Cooper. He also stars in "The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman" opposite Evan Rachel Wood and Melissa Leo.

Baldwin was nominated for a Tony Award in 1992 for his performance in A Streetcar Named Desire. He has also been seen on Broadway in Loot, Serious Money and Twentieth Century. Baldwin received an Academy Award nomination for "The Cooler" and won two Emmy Awards for his work on NBC's "30 Rock." He appeared in the film adaptation of Rock of Ages.

For ticket information, visit Telecharge.com or orphansonbroadway.com.