Beth Leavel and Matt Doyle Will Lead WHEN PLAYWRIGHTS KILL in Boston

[JohnnyB3]

Posted: 1/14/26 at 10:41am

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Beth-Leavel-Matt-Doyle-and-More-Will-Lead-WHEN-PLAYWRIGHTS-KILL-in-Boston-20260114

WHEN PLAYWRIGHTS KILL, a new backstage comedy by Matthew Lombardo (Tea at Five) will make its world premiere at The Huntington Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts,  directed by Noah Himmelstein (Conversations With Mother). This Strictly Limited Engagement will be performed April 3 through April 18, 2026.

Tony Award winners Beth Leavel (The Prom), Matt Doyle (Company) and Marissa Jaret Winokur (Hairspray) will star alongside Tony Award nominee Kevin Chamberlin (The Addams Family) with Adam Heller (Some Like It Hot) and Tomás Matos (Fire Island) in the World Premiere production.

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Super excited about this. This cast is stacked! Fingers crossed it transfers to New York.

Updated On: 1/14/26 at 10:41 AM

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 1/16/26 at 11:29am

What a stellar cast!

[Kad]

Posted: 1/16/26 at 11:33am

Even juicier: this is based on Matthew Lombardo's experience with Faye Dunaway during the Tea at Five debacle. 

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 1/16/26 at 11:51am

Kad said: "Even juicier: this is based on Matthew Lombardo's experience with Faye Dunaway during the Tea at Five debacle."

 

Updated On: 1/16/26 at 11:51 AM

[JohnnyB3]

Posted: 1/16/26 at 1:29pm

OMG. So I'm presuming Beth Leavel is playing the Faye Dunaway inspired character? This could be amazing.

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 1/16/26 at 1:35pm

JohnnyB3 said: "OMG. So I'm presuming Beth Leavel is playing the Faye Dunaway inspired character? This could be amazing."

 

Updated On: 2/11/26 at 01:35 PM

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 1/16/26 at 3:07pm

I saw the Jeremy Jordan-led workshop of this and thought it was a hoot. Great fun.

[JohnnyB3]

Posted: 1/16/26 at 3:57pm

Ensemble1711444445 - No need to be so negative.

Updated On: 1/16/26 at 03:57 PM

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 1/16/26 at 4:18pm

iluvtheatertrash said: "I saw the Jeremy Jordan-led workshop of this and thought it was a hoot. Great fun."

 

Updated On: 1/16/26 at 04:18 PM

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 1/16/26 at 4:20pm

JohnnyB3 said: "Ensemble1711444445 - No need to be so negative."

 

Updated On: 1/20/26 at 04:20 PM

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 1/16/26 at 4:43pm

There have been at least 3 workshops of this.  The most recent was with Chris Perfetti (Abbott Elementary) in the Matt Doyle/Jeremy Jordan role. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 1/16/26 at 4:44pm

JohnnyB3 said: "OMG. So I'm presuming Beth Leavel is playing the Faye Dunaway inspired character? This could be amazing."

This could be so deliciously camp. I’m wondering if this is going to be a farce-type comedy or much darker.

Side Note: I’ve been looking for a copy of his play HIGH for YEARS (it was the first Broadway drama I ever saw at 16), and I saw it was FINALLY out published.

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 1/16/26 at 4:54pm

It's more straight forward than we expected it to be.

[JohnnyB3]

Posted: 1/16/26 at 6:27pm

quizking101 said: "This could be so deliciously camp. I’m wondering if this is going to be a farce-type comedy or much darker."

Did some more reading on this and Lombardo gave an interview with the Boston Globe and described it as a "farce with teeth". So I hope Beth Leavel will be as over the top as possible. I'm also interested in Marissa Jaret Winokur's role. I thought she was fantastic in Bat Boy and I love seeing her return to the stage.

Non-paywall link to article: https://archive.ph/wh3m9

[Kad]

Posted: 1/16/26 at 6:34pm

Ensemble1711444445 said: "No need to be so positive may be more the case if you do a little digging. Lots of financial questions.
JohnnyB3 said: "Ensemble1711444445 - No need to be so negative."

"

Financial questions pertaining to... what...? And to whom? Stop being oblique about it and either say what you mean or link to a source. 

Updated On: 1/16/26 at 06:34 PM

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 1/17/26 at 6:55am

That season is very short, not knowing anything about this company, is this normal? 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/17/26 at 8:36am

 

[spicemonkey]

Posted: 1/17/26 at 9:40am

rosscoe(au) said: "That season is very short, not knowing anything about this company, is this normal?"

Maybe it’s a rental at the Huntington’s. I don’t see it on Huntington’s website. Me thinks it’s a filler in between Huntington’s productions 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 1/17/26 at 9:52am

spicemonkey said: "rosscoe(au) said: "That season is very short, not knowing anything about this company, is this normal?"

Maybe it’s a rental at the Huntington’s. I don’t see it on Huntington’s website. Me thinks it’s a filler in between Huntington’s productions"

This production is indeed a rental, as noted in an article I read last night about this. 

[msmp]

Posted: 1/17/26 at 12:59pm

As one of the lucky few who got to see Faye Dunaway in Tea for Two at the Huntington (and observe a mini-meltdown when she went up on some lines and stopped the show to complain about the lighting), I am very excited to see how this one turns out.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/17/26 at 1:43pm

 

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 1/17/26 at 3:16pm

No Kad I will not give you details. Use your google or ask any GM in town. 


BrodyFosse123 said: "

"

 

Updated On: 2/11/26 at 03:16 PM

[JohnnyB3]

Posted: 2/11/26 at 5:21pm

The poster they released today looks amazing. I cannot wait!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DUoE2NwgM-J/?img_index=2


 

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 2/11/26 at 5:35pm

JohnnyB3 said: "The poster they released today looks amazing. I cannot wait!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DUoE2NwgM-J/?img_index=2


"

 

Updated On: 2/13/26 at 05:35 PM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 2/12/26 at 11:49am