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In October, theater folks were bummed to learn that Jake Gyllenhaal and his producers had scrapped plans to revive Lanford Wilson's Burn This in 2017 at Broadway's newest space, the Hudson Theatre. But cheer up, Gyllenheads: The brooding and extremely talented actor will now headline a revival of Sunday in the Park with George starting February 11 at—yes, the Hudson. The limited run goes through April 23 and will doubtless be a hot contender for the best musical revival Tony.
How do we know? Because we caught Gyllenhaal in it opposite the scrumptious Annaleigh Ashford at New York City Center in October. It was only a concert performance, but Gyllenhaal, playing the emotionally withdrawn yet brilliant painter Georges Seurat, was a revelation. The wounded, inward acting was there, of course, but he also navigated Stephen Sondheim's tongue-twisting lyrics with grace and passion. As for Ashford's Dot—Georges's model and sometime lover—she achieved the perfect balance of sweet and sad, daffy and wistful. It will interesting to see if the stripped-down concert staging by Sarna Lapine (book writer James Lapine's niece) will be filled out with more elaborate sets and costumes. (The visual elements and video design could use some work.) As long as they retain the full-size orchestra they had at City Center, the magnificent score will be worth the price of admission.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online or by calling 855-801-5876.