THE COLLABORATION, starring Paul Bettany as Andy Warhol & Jeremy Pope as Jean-Michel Basquiat, to play MTC this fall

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/7/22 at 11:31am

“The Collaboration,” a new play exploring the relationship between the painters Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, will transfer to Broadway this fall. Manhattan Theater Club, a nonprofit that operates the Samuel J. Friedman Theater on Broadway, said it would partner with the Young Vic Theater in London to present the play at the Friedman, with previews beginning Nov. 29 and an opening night scheduled for Dec. 20.

The play was written by Anthony McCarten, from New Zealand, who is best known for his biographical screenplays, including the Oscar-nominated “The Theory of Everything” and “The Two Popes,” as well as “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Darkest Hour.”

“The Collaboration” is to star Paul Bettany (best known for playing Vision in several Marvel projects) as Warhol and Jeremy Pope (who scored two Tony nominations in a single season, for “Ain’t Too Proud” and “Choir Boy&rdquo as Basquiat. The two are expected to reprise their roles in a film adaptation. The play (as well as the forthcoming movie) is directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah, the artistic director of the Young Vic, where it had its premiere production this year.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/07/theater/collaboration-warhol-basquiat-broadway.html

Updated On: 7/7/22 at 11:31 AM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/7/22 at 11:34am

Take all my money for this one. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 7/7/22 at 11:35am

Fantastic! So excited by this pair of high-caliber actors, playing these icons. 

[ATerrifyingAndImposingFigure]

Posted: 7/7/22 at 11:36am

This is all extremely exciting, can’t wait

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/7/22 at 11:55am

It's fascinating that everything MTC has done on Bway since 2018 has started in London, Off-Broadway (sometimes MTC's own spaces), or elsewhere. MTC's new business model resembles that of a Broadway presenter, with a lot of co-production partnerships, which removes some of the risks from their productions. It's given us a lot of stellar productions so I'm not necessarily complaining, but it's an interesting evolution of their mission.

[ElephantLoveMedley]

Posted: 7/7/22 at 12:04pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "It's fascinating that everything MTC has done on Bway since 2018 has started in London, Off-Broadway (sometimes MTC's own spaces), or elsewhere. MTC's new business model resembles that of a Broadway presenter, with a lot of co-production partnerships, which removes some of the risks from their productions. It's given us a lot of stellar productions so I'm not necessarily complaining, but it's an interesting evolution of their mission."

MTC programming has become top-tier on Broadway over the last few years, FAR surpassing that of Roundabout and even Lincoln Center. So many GREAT productions at the Friedman over the last few years (How I Learned to Drive, Ink, Choir Boy, The Little Foxes being some of my favorites that come to mind). They have been killing it.

[Owen22]

Posted: 7/7/22 at 12:39pm

Fantastic!  I had tickets for this at the tail end of it's run at the Young Vic but Covid shut the entire production down and it never returned.

[AllThatJazz2]

Posted: 7/7/22 at 1:55pm

Missing this by a day…argh! Sounds fantastic.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/7/22 at 2:50pm

AllThatJazz2 said: "Missing this by a day…argh! Sounds fantastic."

MTC shows usually extend by a week or two, if the end of the run is the issue.

I always hate this timeslot at the nonprofit Bway theatres. I know they need it to open 3 shows within a season, but everything is so busy in the Thanksgiving-to-early January period that sometimes the plays feel kind of nonexistant.

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/7/22 at 4:30pm

This is at the top of my Plays To See list.

[quizking101]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 12:42pm

Woohoo! Anytime I’ll get to see Jeremy Pope is a damn good day on Broadway.

I wonder how the WandaVision stans are somehow going to ruin this (since Bettany is in the cast)

[randomname]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 1:21pm

quizking101 said: "Woohoo! Anytime I’ll get to see Jeremy Pope is a damn good day on Broadway.

I wonder how the WandaVision stans are somehow going to ruin this (since Bettany is in the cast)"

He’s been in a lot more than WandaVision. Going to assume you didn’t know that. I forget if it was Tom Hiddleston or Charlie Cox that said this, but during the Betrayal run one of them mentioned that many fans bought tickets the show because of their work in MCU, but ended up loving the play for the play. I’m sure there will be MCU overlap with Paul Bettany, but don’t assume they’re going to “ruin this”. You should be happy that he’s introducing new people to theatre that might not otherwise go to a show. That said, as much as I enjoy his work in MCU, I’m planning to see this for Jeremy Pope. Missed him in Choir Boy by a week or two so I’m thankful to get to finally see him on stage. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 2:01pm

randomname said: "quizking101 said: "Woohoo! Anytime I’ll get to see Jeremy Pope is a damn good day on Broadway.

I wonder how the WandaVision stans are somehow going to ruin this (since Bettany is in the cast)"

He’s been in a lot more than WandaVision. Going to assume you didn’t know that. I forget if it was Tom Hiddleston or Charlie Cox that said this, but during the Betrayal run one of them mentioned that many fans bought tickets the show because of their work in MCU, but ended up loving the play for the play. I’m sure there will be MCU overlap with Paul Bettany, but don’t assume they’re going to “ruin this”. You should be happy that he’s introducing new people to theatre that might not otherwise go to a show. That said, asmuch as I enjoy his work in MCU, I’m planning to see this for Jeremy Pope. Missed him in Choir Boy by a week or two so I’m thankful to get to finally see him on stage."

Valid point, although I still have my trepidations 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 2:30pm

quizking101 said: "I wonder how the WandaVision stans are somehow going to ruin this (since Bettany is in the cast)"

My hope is that it will be an advantage, not a disadvantage. His star presence is much higher now than before WandaVision, which he's wonderful in even if you don't love Marvel stuff.

If anything, his friendship with Johnny Depp and connection to that trial could cause bigger problems.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/8/22 at 2:34pm

It didn't really do much for Betrayal with Tom Hiddleston. 

I honestly don't know who Bettany is.

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/9/22 at 11:25pm

RippedMan said: "It didn't really do much for Betrayal with Tom Hiddleston.

I honestly don't know who Bettany is."

 

If you have Disney+, watch him in WandaVision. I had no clue it was part of the Marvel Comics Universe (Which I do not follow). I kept seeing commercials for the show and it really caught my interest. It is one of the most fabulously bizarre mini series I have ever seen. And he is really good in it.

 

[UWS10023]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 2:59am

RippedMan said: "It didn't really do much for Betrayal with Tom Hiddleston.

I honestly don't know who Bettany is."

Bettany was in A Beautiful Mind where he met his current wife Jennifer Connelly who won the academy award for best supporting actress. He later appeared in another popular movie called Master and Commando: The Far Side of the World. He recently appeared in A Very British Scandal for Amazon. I highly recommend WandaVision on Disney+ (highly original) as well as Uncle Frank on Amazon where he very thoughtfully portrays a gay man returning home from New York City to attend his father’s funeral. His scene at the cemetery is a tear jerker.

 

 

 

 

 

Updated On: 7/10/22 at 02:59 AM

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 9:41am

UWS10023 said: "He later appeared in another popular movie called Master and Commando: The Far Side of the World."



One of my favorite dirty movies.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 7/10/22 at 9:50am

I first remember Bettany from 2001's A Knight's Tale with Heath Ledger, in which he played Geoffrey Chaucer. A fun, underrated movie, in my opinion.

[UWS10023]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 12:38am

I think Paul and Jennifer have bought and sold property in Brooklyn over the years and I believe they still live there. I saw them dining one evening on the Upper West side and an outdoor cafe.

[TheatreMonkey]

Posted: 7/11/22 at 12:46am

TotallyEffed said: "UWS10023 said: "He later appeared in another popular movie called Master and Commando: The Far Side of the World."



One of my favorite dirty movies."

THIS! Although, I almost prefer the sequel, Master and Commando II: At Full Mast".