The Cast of "Heartless". Photo by Joan Marcus.

HEARTLESS

Iconic American playwright Sam Shepard returns to New York with a world premiere play set in a troubling Los Angeles limbo of abandoned spouses, dark family secrets and a mute nurse with the scariest silent scream since Munch.

“Mr. Shepard has said all this before, and with more dramatic urgency and clarity.” New York Times

“Your tolerance for unsolved—unsolvable– mystery will be the gauge of how much you like this play.” Philadelphia Inquirer

“…ethereal and discomfiting new play set in a Los Angeles house haunted by five lost souls.” Entertainment Weekly

“What Heartless reinforces is that we’re all lost, in various stages of decay and disrepair. Characteristically, Shepard finds the dark humor in this quandary.” USA Today

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Gary Cole, Julianne Nicholson, Lois Smith, Betty Gilpin & Jenny Bacon. Photo by Gregory Constanzo.

You’ve heard of An Actor’s Nightmare? Well, Jenny Bacon is living an actor’s dream. An accomplished veteran of stage and screen with a resume that includes some of the great theaters, writers and directors working today, she is now originating a role in a new play by Pulitzer Prize winner Sam Shepard.

Heartless begins previews this week at the Signature Theatre in New York and Jenny graciously took some time from rehearsals to talk with me about working with a icons (including fellow cast member Lois Smith), balancing New York and Chicago theater and being the murdering type on Law & Order.

I was two years younger than you at Northwestern.

Oh!

There’s no reason for you to remember me.

Oh cool. I was wondering…

You were definitely one of the people I looked up to. That’s good acting, already in college. It’s such a pleasure to get to talk to you again all these…cough…many years later.

Seriously, a pleasure to talk to you, too.

I have to start by asking you, what is it like to be originating a role in a Sam Shepard play? Is it a “pinch me” moment?

Absolutely. (laughter)

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The cast of "Dogfight". Photo by Joan Marcus.

Just because we’re in the summer slump, it doesn’t mean there’s no news to round-up. Here’s some tasty tidbits from the world of theater…

• Up-and-coming composing team Benj Pasek & Justin Paul got their first big NYC premiere last night — prior to their A Christmas Story on Broadway this winter — with an adaptation of the indie flick Dogfight at Second Stage. I wasn’t given review tickets so I can’t speak for the show but the initial critical response is mixed but promising for the writers.

• Playwright Sam Shepard is an American legend for his plays like True West and Buried Child, so a new work from the Pulitzer-winner is always newsworthy. But how about being able to see the world premiere of his Heartless at Signature Theatre for only $25 a ticket? That’s front page news.

• Robert Cuccioli, who famously flipped his hair between Jeckyl and Hyde, returns to the dual villainy as he takes over for Patrick Page’s Norman Osborn/Green Goblin in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Starting August 7, the only flips he’ll be doing will be in midair above the audience.

• Two Off-Broadway hits are getting new leases on life. The hit parody Silence! The Musical is moving uptown to a brand new theater on 42nd street, the Elektra Theatre, tomorrow night. Along for the rude and ribald ride is new cast member and cutie Randy Harrison of Queer as Folk fame. Further uptown, the revival of Maltby and Shire’s classic song cycle Closer Than Ever at the York is getting an extension, adding dates from July 23 – August 25. [I'm seeing it soon so I'll give you the scoop!]