Allison Janney, John Benjamin Hickey & Corey Hawkins Open Broadway’s Six Degrees of Separation
The new Broadway revival of John Guare’s Six Degrees of Separation, directed by Trip Cullman, opens on April 25. The production starring Tony nominee Allison Janney, Tony winner John Benjamin Hickey and Corey Hawkins began previews on April 5 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. The limited engagement plays for 15 weeks, through July 16.
Inspired by a true story, Six Degrees of Separation centers on Ouisa (Janney) and Flan Kittredge (Hickey), a wealthy New York couple who take in Paul (Hawkins), a young man who cons them into believing he’s a friend of their son at Harvard and the son of Sidney Poitier. After they discover his lies, Ouisa and Flan piece together his true identity and their connection to Paul, as well as the similar encounters their upper-class friends have had with the young con man.
Janney steps into a role originated in 1990 by her fellow West Wing Emmy winner Stockard Channing (who also reprised the role in the 1993 film). John Cunningham played Flan in the original Broadway mounting with future Tony winner Courtney B. Vance as Paul.
The revival cast also includes Lisa Emery, Michael Countryman, Michael Siberry, Tony Carlin, James Cusati-Moyer, Ned Eisenberg, Keenan Jolliff, Peter Mark Kendall, Cody Kastro, Sarah Mezzanotte, Colby Minifie as Tess, Paul O’Brien, Chris Perfetti and Ned Riseley.
The design team includes Mark Wendland (sets), Clint Ramos (costumes), Ben Stanton (lighting), Darron L. West (sound), Lucy Mackinnon (projections) and Charles LaPointe (wigs).
To commemorate the musical’s opening night, Broadway.com Resident Artist Justin "Squigs" Robertson sketched a portrait showing the intensity of a classic drama brought back to the Broadway stage.
About the Artist: With a desire to celebrate the magic of live theater and those who create it, and with a deep reverence for such touchstones as the work of Al Hirschfeld and the wall at Sardi’s, Squigs is happy and grateful to be among those carrying on the traditions where theater and caricature meet. He was born and raised in Oregon, lived in Los Angeles for quite a long time and now calls New York City his home.
