Matthew Broderick, Ali Stroker, Judy Kaye, and More Join Babbitt at Shakespeare Theatre Company
Matthew Broderick is back as George Babbitt in Babbitt, the play by Tony winner Joe DiPietro, adapted from Sinclair Lewis’s classic novel. After making its debut at La Jolla Playhouse last year, the show is hitting Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Harman Hall from October 1 to November 3, directed again by Christopher Ashley.
Broderick will be joined by an all-star cast including Ali Stroker, Judy Kaye, Ann Harada, Mara Davi, Nehal Joshi, Matt McGrath, and Chris Myers as various storytellers. If you caught the La Jolla premiere, you’ll see some familiar faces—Harada, McGrath, and Myers are all reprising their roles.
The story follows George Babbitt, a middle-aged real estate broker who’s feeling stuck and decides to shake up his life in the most dramatic way possible. It’s a journey of self-discovery, rebellion, and risks that could cost him everything.
The production of Babbitt is based on the novel by Sinclair Lewis and follows the life of George F. Babbitt, a middle-aged real estate broker living in a fictional Midwestern city. On the surface, Babbitt appears to have it all—a stable career, a comfortable home, and a respectable place in society. However, he is plagued by feelings of dissatisfaction and a sense that his life is meaningless.
As Babbitt grapples with his midlife crisis, he embarks on a rebellion against the expectations of his conformist lifestyle, seeking excitement, purpose, and freedom in a way that disrupts his carefully constructed world. His journey of self-discovery and defiance comes with high stakes, as he risks losing everything he has worked for, including his reputation, career, and family.
The play explores themes of societal pressure, the pursuit of happiness, and the existential struggles of everyday life, making it a timely look at the complexities of modern existence through the lens of a man yearning for more.
The original La Jolla creative team is back too, with scenic design by Walt Spangler, costumes by Linda Cho, and wigs by Charles G. LaPointe. Add in choreography by Stephen Buescher, lighting by Cha See, sound by Leon Rothenberg, and music by Mark Bennett and Wayne Barker, and you’ve got a show that’s ready to wow.
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