Back to Broadway in a New Way: Robin Williams Talks BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO

Yesterday, the cast and crew of BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO met the press for the first time. Oscar, Emmy, and Grammy winning actor Robin Williams, who will be making his Broadway debut in the production, chatted with Broadway Beat about the show.

Williams revealed, "For me, the the most interesting thing is to see how New Yorkers respond to this. To see if they go with it. Obviously in LA it kicked hard. Will they do it here? Let's see. Because it's really in your face about the war, the consequences of the war, about life."

"I've met a lot of people who have come back physically and mentally damaged from Iraq. Now do the the math about 'what is the effect on the Iraqis?' This play also examines that, saying 'what are the consequences?'"

As for the tone of the play he added, "It is a drama with moments of dark comedy, but it's really a drama. And a lot of it's really greek in the sense that they describe lots of brutal things. And that's what makes it worth doing."

"I'm joining a cast who's done it twice before, so i have to come up to their standards. So for me it's a lot of hard work, but I'm really excited about it."

To watch the full interview with Broadway Beat, click here. 

The cast and creative team of BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO - the new American play by Rajiv Joseph and starring Robin Williams in his Broadway acting debut met the press today and Broadway Beat was of course there to talk to Robin Williams and the team!

A finalist for the 2010 Pulitzer Prize, BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO begins previews on March 11 prior to its official opening night March 31. The play is directed by two-time Tony nominee Moisés Kaufman.

The Oscar, Emmy and Grammy Award-winning actor Robin Williams will make his Broadway acting debut in BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO, having previously appeared Off-Broadway opposite Steve Martin in Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot" at Lincoln Center in 1988.

Also featured in the cast are Glenn Davis, Brad Fleischer, Hrach Titizian, Sheila Vand, Necar Zadegan and Arian Moayed.

BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO is Rajiv Joseph's savagely funny and deeply affecting play, a tiger haunts the streets of present day Baghdad seeking the meaning of life. As he witnesses the puzzling absurdities of war, the tiger encounters Americans and Iraqis who are searching for friendship, redemption and a toilet seat made of gold.

BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO is produced on Broadway by Robyn Goodman, Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller, Sander Jacobs, Ruth Hendel/Burnt Umber, Scott and Brian Zeilinger, Center Theater Group and Stephen Kocis/Walt Grossman.

BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO will perform Tuesdays at 7 p.m., Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., with matinees on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.