Roundabout Theatre Company announced the full cast and creative team of the revival, to play the American Airlines Theatre, on Jan. 8. Tony Award winner Doug Hughes (Doubt) directs the rarely revived 1940s play by the author of Golden Boy (a play now enjoying a praised Broadway production by Lincoln Center Theater). The Big Knife — with current Glengarry Glen Ross star Cannavale as a Hollywood actor whose buried past is being unearthed — will play March 22-June 2, opening on April 16.
Expect "an electrifying new production of Clifford Odets' riveting, bitingly funny tale of keeping your integrity in the face of success," according to Roundabout.
The full company includes Rachel Brosnahan (Broadway debut) as Dixie Evans, Bobby Cannavale as Charlie Castle, Tony Award nominee Marin Ireland (reasons to be pretty) as Marion Castle, Billy Eugene Jones (Passing Strange) as Russell, Richard Kind (TV's "Mad About You," Broadway's The Producers) as Marcus Hoff, Adam Rapp (the playwright-actor known for Red Light Winter, The Hallway Trilogy) as Hank Teagle, Ana Reeder (Broadway's recent Hedda Gabler, Sight Unseen, Top Girls) as Connie Bliss, Reg Rogers (The Royal Family, A Free Man of Color) as Smiley Coy, Joey Slotnick (of Off-Broadway and Chicago Lookingglass, Steppenwolf and Goodman productions, now making his Broadway debut) as Buddy Bliss, Brenda Wehle (Broadway's Pygmalion and Come Back, Little Sheba, Off-Broadway's The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide…) as Patty Benedict and Chip Zien (Into the Woods, Falsettos, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) as Nat Danziger.
The design team includes John Lee Beatty (sets), Catherine Zuber (costumes), James F. Ingalls (lighting), David Van Tieghem (sound & original music).
Here's how Roundabout bills the work: "In the golden age of Hollywood cinema, actors may have all the glory, but studio execs have all the power. The Hoff-Federated studio has had its most successful star, Charlie Castle, over a barrel ever since it helped cover up a mistake that could have ended his career. When a woman with insider knowledge threatens to come forward, the studio heads will stop at nothing to protect Charlie's secret... but how far is he willing to go before he quits the movie business for good? Set in a glossy world of rumor mills and rocky friendships, Clifford Odets' The Big Knife is about living the life you always wanted but wanting something more." This will mark the first new Broadway production of the play since its Broadway premiere in 1949, when Lee Strasberg directed.
Cannavale is a Tony nominee for his work in Mauritius and The Motherf**ker With the Hat. He's currently Ricky Roma in the Broadway revival of Glengarry Glen Ross. He won an Emmy for his guest appearance on "Will & Grace." His TV credits include "Nurse Jackie" (Emmy nomination) and the most recent season of "Boardwalk Empire." His films include "The Station Agent" and Woody Allen's upcoming picture, among others.
The plays of Odets (1906-1963) include Waiting for Lefty, Awake and Sing!, Paradise Lost, Golden Boy, Rocket to the Moon, Clash by Night, The Country Girl and The Flowering Peach. He penned screenplays for "None but the Lonely Heart," "Humoresque," "The Sweet Smell of Success" and more.
The Big Knife will play Tuesday through Saturday evening at 8 PM with Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 PM.
Roundabout subscribers have first access to tickets to all Roundabout productions. To become a Roundabout Subscriber, or for more information, visit roundabouttheatre.org or call Roundabout Ticket Services (212) 719-1300. Single tickets for The Big Knife will be available to the general public starting Jan. 14. Tickets prices range from $42-$127.
