A Production History of ART - From Paris to London, Broadway, and Beyond
The Broadway revival plays a strictly limited, 17-week-only engagement at Broadway’s Music Box Theatre.
By: Stephi Wild Sep. 20, 2025
Performances are now underway for the first-ever Broadway revival of the Tony Award-winning ART, by Yamina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton, starring Bobby Cannavale, James Corden, and Neil Patrick Harris and directed by Scott Ellis. The production plays a strictly limited, 17-week-only engagement at Broadway’s Music Box Theatre.
Beginning as a French-language play, ART had an unusual trajectory and journey on the stage. As the show returns to New York, we're looking back on the play's history and notable stars who have taken on these roles.
Original French Production
ART began as a French-language play, premiering on 28 October 1994 at the Comédie des Champs-Élysées in Paris. Directed by Patrice Kerbrat, it starred Pierre Vaneck, Fabrice Luchini and Pierre Arditi. From 1997-98, Vaneck was joined by Jean-Louis Trintignant and Jean Rochefort.
First English Production - West End
In 1996, the play was adapted into English, translated by Christopher Hampton. The first-ever English-language production of ART opened in London's West End on 15 October 1996 at Wyndham's Theatre, directed by Matthew Warchus. The cast was led by Albert Finney, Tom Courtenay and Ken Stott.
The production took home the 1997 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy, and was nominated for several others including Best Actor (Ken Stott), Best Director (Matthew Warchus), Best Set Designer (Mark Thompson), and Best Lighting Designer (Hugh Vanstone).
Other actors who appeared during the run included Henry Goodman, Roger Allam, Stacey Keach, George Wendt, David Dukes, Paul Freeman, Edward Woodward, Peter Egan, Art Malik, John Fortune, Ken Campbell, Warren Mitchell, Nigel Havers, Roger Lloyd-Pack and Barry Foster.
The show ran for over six years, closing on 3 January 2003. The final West End cast was Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton and Mark Gatiss (aka The League of Gentlemen).
Original Broadway Production
The original Broadway production of ART opened at the Royale Theatre in February 1998, also directed by Warchus. The cast was led by Alan Alda, Victor Garber and Alfred Molina.
ART took home the 1998 Tony Award for Best Play as well as the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play. Molina was nominated for a Tony for Best Actor in a Play, and Warchus was nominated for Best Direction. Molina also won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play. ART was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play.
Notable cast members in this production included Brian Cox, Judd Hirsch, John DeLancie, Joe Morton, and George Wendt, among others.
West End Revival
A West End revival took place from December 2016 to February 2017, directed once again by Matthew Warchus, at London's Old Vic theatre, marking the play's 20th anniversary. The cast was led by Rufus Sewell, Tim Key and Paul Ritter.
This production then toured the UK from February 2018, starring Nigel Havers, Denis Lawson and Stephen Tompkinson.
Other Notable Productions
A production of ART took place at L.A. Theatre Works in 2011, starring Bob Balaban, Brian Cox, and Jeff Perry; the audio theater recording is available at latw.org. A streamed performance of ART was produced by San Francisco Playhouse during the pandemic in 2020, starring Bobak Bakhtiari, Johnny Moreno, and Jomar Tagatac.
Other notable productions in the UK included a Brighton Fringe Festival production in May 2024, as well as a UK tour which kicked off in October 2024, starring Aden Gillett, Chris Harper and Seann Walsh.
