Stiles And Pullman To Spar In Mamet's OLEANNA On Broadway, Previews Begin 9/29

I've heard this production is excellent.

Wow, there are Plays popping out the wazzoo!


Doesn't it seem a little soon to start previews with Avenue Q moving out just 2 weeks before?

This is shaping up to be quite a season. Bill Pullman, Julia Stiles, and Jude Law all a stones throw away from each other in two legitimately amazing plays. Wow.

Wow, Mamet must be getting really used to this two plays per season thing...

I guess Avenue Q will not extend then.
So Sad

"2 weeks is more than enough for Avenue Q to vacate. It hardly has any set."

I know, but then with the new show coming in they have to load there stuff in. That only leaves a few days. I just thought they would want to wait a little bit.

Very excited to see another Mamet play and this cast!

"I know, but then with the new show coming in they have to load there stuff in. That only leaves a few days. I just thought they would want to wait a little bit."

It's not like Oleanna is going to have some massively complicated set to load in, or that the tech is going to need more than one ten out of twelve to get through. And being a transfer it will need even less time on its feet in the theatre before it will be ready for audiences.

When dealing with actors who primarily work in film you have to go when their schedules allow. I applaud them for allowing a theatre to sit dark for only two weeks.

Seeing this at the Mark Taper next week!

I saw it last night. The play is definitely from Mamet's top drawer and certainly had resonance with the audience. They were into it. It's one set, three scenes, no intermission. A short evening, but very powerful. The arguments are strong and the cast made them play.

Julia Stiles got the character and made her transformation credible. But Bill Pulman blew me away. As the harassed lecturer who finds himself face to face with a neurotic, narrow-minded and entirely overwhelming student, he hit all the notes, visibly fighting for control, never letting the exasperation of his character take over. A masterful performance of what is, really, a great role.

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I actually love the cast and the play. A rendition of the final scene from this in some drama class when I was younger is what really made me fall in love with plays. Especially when written by Mamet. He provides such rich material, as recently evidenced by Butz and Macy stepping in and bringing such different approaches to the stage.

Hopefully I'll drive over to Cali in the next week or so to check it out. It's only a six-hour drive, but I'd rather make it a matinee so I don't have to deal with staying overnight. Two questions to those who saw Oleanna in LA already: if you went to a matinee, were both Stiles and Pullman on? Also, I'm wondering what the cheap seats are like. Some of the dates I'm looking at have seats closer, but they are in the lower price range so I'm cautious.

Thanks in advance!