Photo Coverage: Bradley Cooper and THE ELEPHANT MAN Cast Take First Bows on Broadway

Friday, November 7th marked the Broadway return of two-time Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper, Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Patricia Clarkson, and Alessandro Nivola in Bernard Pomerance's Tony Award-winning classic The Elephant Man, directed by six-time Tony Award nominee Scott Ellis. Below, BroadwayWorld brings photos of the cast's first bows!

The production opens on Sunday, December 7, 2014 at the Booth Theatre (222 West 45th Street, NYC) for a limited engagement through Sunday, February 15, 2015. Tickets are on sale now.

CLICK HERE to watch Bradley Cooper discuss bringing The Elephant Man back to Broadway with correspondent Serena Altschul on CBS "Sunday Morning." Also, CLICK HERE to read Mr. Cooper's profile in the New York Times.

The cast features Bradley Cooper as John Merrick, Patricia Clarkson as Mrs. Kendal, Alessandro Nivola as Dr. Frederick Treves, Anthony Heald as Ross / Bishop Walsham How, Scott Lowell as Snork / Pinhead Manager / Lord John, Kathryn Meisle as Miss Sandwich / Princess and Henry Stram as Carr Gomm / Conductor. The cast will also include Chris Bannow, Peter Bradbury, Lucas Calhoun, Eric Clem, Amanda Lea Mason, Marguerite Stimpson and Emma Thorne.

This production, also starring Mr. Cooper, Ms. Clarkson and Mr. Nivola under the direction of Mr. Ellis, was first produced and presented in July 2012 in Williamstown, Massachusetts by the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Jenny Gersten, Artistic Director.

Based on the real life of Joseph Merrick, The Elephant Man tells the story of a 19th-century British man (Cooper) who became a star of the traveling freak show circuit. When the renowned Dr. Treves (Nivola) takes Merrick under his care, he is astonished by the man's brilliant intelligence, unshakable faith and, most of all, his resounding desire for love and understanding. He introduces Merrick to the beautiful actress Mrs. Kendal (Clarkson), who is deeply touched by this pure and genuine soul. As a complex friendship blossoms among the three, Treves and Kendal struggle to protect Merrick from a world of questionable intentions... and so begins a story of love as unique as "The Elephant Man" himself.

The Elephant Man features Scenic and Projection Design by Timothy R. Mackabee, Costume Design by Clint Ramos, Lighting Design by Philip S. Rosenberg, Original Music and Sound Design by John Gromada.

The Elephant Man will be produced on Broadway by James L. Nederlander, Terry Allen Kramer, Catherine Adler,Roger Berlind, Caiola Productions, Patrick Catullo, Roy Furman, Larry Hirschhorn, Jeffrey Finn Productions, Van Kaplan, Edward M. Kaufmann, Hal Luftig, Arielle Tepper Madover, Peter May, Stephanie P. McClelland, The Shubert Organization, Douglas Smith, Jonathan M. Tisch, Harvey Weinstein, Scott & Brian Zeilinger.

Photo credit: Walter McBride