David Harbour and Bill Pullman bring ‘blistering’ comedy Mad House to West End

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David Harbour and Bill Pullman.
Stars align … David Harbour and Bill Pullman. Composite: Getty

Premiere of Theresa Rebeck’s play will reunite the film and theatre stars who appeared in The Equalizer

Source: David Harbour and Bill Pullman bring ‘blistering’ comedy Mad House to West End

The American blockbuster stars David Harbour and Bill Pullman are to share the stage in London this summer for the world premiere of a family drama by Theresa Rebeck.

Mad House, directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel, presents a rancorous reunion in rural Pennsylvania for three siblings who gather at the bedside of their dying father and anticipate their share of inheritance.

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David Harbour and Bill Pullman Will Lead Theresa Rebeck’s MAD HOUSE This June

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David Harbour and Bill Pullman will star in the world première of Theresa Rebeck’s dark and funny new play Mad House. Directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel, the production opens on 26 June at the Ambassadors Theatre, with previews from 15 June, and runs until 4 September.

Source: David Harbour and Bill Pullman Will Lead Theresa Rebeck’s MAD HOUSE This June

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David Harbour and Bill Pullman to star in world premiere of Mad House in the West End | WhatsOnStage

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Theresa Rebeck’s new play will begin performances this June

Source: David Harbour and Bill Pullman to star in world premiere of Mad House in the West End | WhatsOnStage

David Harbour (Stranger Things, Black Widow) and Bill Pullman (The Sinner, Independence Day) will headline the world premiere of Theresa Rebeck’s Mad House.

Harbour commented: “So excited to return to the London stage with Theresa’s blistering new dark comedy. It features two of my favourite things: the abyss of madness that lies at the pit of every family as they stare blankly, incomprehensively into the nature of our fleeting existence, and real estate.”

The new play will be directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel, who reunites with Rebeck following their stateside collaborations on Bernhardt/Hamlet and Seared.

Rebeck added: “There are those projects when the stars simply align, and to see David and Bill together on stage is beyond my wildest dreams. I’m very much looking forward to being back in the rehearsal room with Moritz as we bring the play to production here in London.”

Set in rural Pennsylvania, the piece follows three siblings who return to their childhood home, with one eye on their dying father and the other on their inheritances.

Produced by Gavin Kalin and Ambassador Theatre Group Productions, Mad House will run at the Ambassadors Theatre from 15 June until 4 September 2022.

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American Horses ~ About | Nature | PBS

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American horses are icons. Mustang. Appaloosa. Morgan. Quarter Horse. Follow the history of the uniquely American horse breeds that helped shape our nation and meet the people who are continuing in the long tradition of caring for them.

Source: American Horses ~ About | Nature | PBS

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Two Playwrights Talk About Their Controversial Vietnam-Era Works 50 Years Later | TheaterMania

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Bill Pullman and Ben Schnetzer appeared in the 2014 off-Broadway revival of David Rabe’s Sticks and Bones, directed by Scott Elliott, for the New Group.
(© Monique Carboni)

Michael Weller and David Rabe Look Back at Moonchildren and Sticks and Bones

Source: Two Playwrights Talk About Their Controversial Vietnam-Era Works 50 Years Later | TheaterMania

The year 1972, when Richard Nixon was reelected president by a landslide, is perhaps not often remembered as a particularly innovative or progressive time for Broadway, but the 1971-72 season included the original runs of the musicals Follies, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death, and the plays Lenny, No Place to Be Somebody, and The Trial of the Catonsville Nine. Not all were hits, but change was in the air.

Two plays from this period have come to be viewed as landmarks among works responding to the Vietnam War, then still raging: Michael Weller’s Moonchildren and David Rabe’s Sticks and Bones. Both had played elsewhere to acclaim: Weller’s at the Royal Court in London (under its original title, Cancer) and at Arena Stage in Washington, DC; Rabe’s off-Broadway at the Public Theater. Neither depicted the war itself, but rather the situation at home. Weller’s story ranged across a group of college friends, living then-unconventionally together off campus, including one who receives his draft notice. Rabe looked at an idealized family (patterned on the Nelsons from TV’s Ozzie and Harriet) shattered by the return of their eldest son, who is blinded in combat.

Both works were well-received in New York. Sticks and Bones won a Tony Award for Best Play and Weller received a Drama Desk for Most Promising Playwright. It played 246 performances and was later made into a controversial television film. Moonchildren‘s Broadway run was considerably briefer (28 performances), but the play would find popular success a year later in a separate off-Broadway production. Moonchildren‘s last major New York production was in 1987 at Second Stage; Sticks and Bones was revived by the New Group in 2014.

Though the two plays overlapped in Times Square for only a few weeks, 50 years on they are forever linked as among the foremost plays showing a nation grappling with change and conflict. Recently, the playwrights looked back at their Broadway debuts.

David Rabe is the author of Sticks and Bones, and Michael Weller is the author of Moonchildren, both of which played Broadway in 1972.
David Rabe is the author of Sticks and Bones, and Michael Weller is the author of Moonchildren, both of which played Broadway in 1972.
(© Tricia Baron/David Gordon)

This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

What was it like to put your play on Broadway in 1972?

Michael Weller: I never went to a Broadway show. Maybe West Side Story was the only play I ever saw. I always thought that Broadway was full of people talking silly, using funny voices that no one ever used to talk. I never considered Broadway serious in the sense of something that reflected a world I understood or knew or had been in.

David Rabe: Honestly, I didn’t think the play belonged on Broadway. Even at the Public, audiences were conflicted about how to respond. But Joe [Papp] was determined, so we went and it worked out.

Michael: I thought what we were doing was like a whole new way of bringing an image of the world to attention that was not represented very much in other areas. That was very egotistical and naive of me, but that’s the way it felt at the time.

David: Sticks and Bones isn’t the only play that I’ve written only to be shocked by the reaction it provoked. Parts of the audience, even if they might be opposed to the war, felt accused. I can’t remember if it was Liz [Wilson] or Tom [Aldredge] who said they felt that some nights they deserved combat pay to go out there and perform, on Broadway in particular.

A production of Michael Weller's Moonchildren played the Berkshire Theatre Festival in 2011.
A production of Michael Weller’s Moonchildren played the Berkshire Theatre Festival in 2011.
(© Jaime Davidson)

Do you remember seeing each other’s play back in the day?

David: I had a great time with [Moonchildren]. I was very taken with it, its kind of whimsy and charm, and also the reality of it. I thought it was very compelling.

Michael: I thought [Sticks and Bones] was really daring and viscerally got under my skin. That was my main memory. I thought, This is a play that is someone’s nightmare being really powerfully realized.

How do you think your play resonates today?

Michael: Right from the start, the play really got under people’s skin, and productions were closed down. Casting was changed slightly. Words were changed. Obscenity was taken out. I think it was always perceived as troublesome to play in terms of mounting it anywhere. Then it went into a phase where it was the play you did as a study guide to the ’70s.

David: I think the issues at the heart of the play are very much on the surface again. They weren’t in 2014. It’s possible to look at a play and praise it, but also kind of see it as in its era. The reviewers tended to say it was Vietnam. Today I would hope they would make the play be seen as more relevant to what’s happening now.

Bill Pullman, Ben Schnetzer, and Nadia Gan appeared in the 2014 off-Broadway revival of Sticks and Bones, directed by Scott Elliott, for the New Group.
Bill Pullman, Ben Schnetzer, and Nadia Gan appeared in the 2014 off-Broadway revival of David Rabe’s Sticks and Bones, directed by Scott Elliott, for the New Group.
(© Monique Carboni)

Michael: Maybe it’s like The Time of Your Life or one of those big plays that brings people together. But I really don’t know, I don’t know how people see plays. I don’t know how they look back on them. I find that very mysterious now, because I think theater audiences are so balkanized. The idea of a mainstream major play with a statement that is taken to be a generational landmark just hasn’t occurred in a very, very long time, maybe since Angels in America.

David: Racism and political internal violence within the country – that’s what the play is about. Finally, his parents say to that young man, “Shut up,” basically talk him into killing himself, because he’s indicting them for the way they live. The father at one point says, “If I have to lie to live, I will, I’ll lie.” How does that sound now?

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Brokaw: ‘American Horses’ documentary coming to PBS

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Horses have been part of this country since long before there were national borders. Bill Pullman narrates a new documentary, “American Horses,” that delves into the history, and our current relationship, with four breeds that make up America’s great horse culture: the Mustang, Morgan, Appaloosa and Quarter Horse. As Executive Producer Fred Kaufman told the […]

Source: Brokaw: ‘American Horses’ documentary coming to PBS

By Francine Brokaw – Special to the Daily Herald | Feb 9, 2022

Horses have been part of this country since long before there were national borders. Bill Pullman narrates a new documentary, “American Horses,” that delves into the history, and our current relationship, with four breeds that make up America’s great horse culture: the Mustang, Morgan, Appaloosa and Quarter Horse. As Executive Producer Fred Kaufman told the media, “The story of the horse in America is the story of America itself.”

The four breeds were selected to highlight because they, “are representative of this span and celebration of American history, kind of at the signature moments through history and horses that evoke not just strong emotions from us because we know their names, like the Quarter Horse and the Morgan horse, but also ones that have really strong ties to natural history and natural history that we could showcase,” explained Eric Bendick, one of the producers.

Pullman was interested in narrating the show due to his personal relationship with the story. His family owns a ranch in southwest Montana. He explained, “We need our horses because we have BLM (Bureau of Land Management) permits up in the mountains, and we have some pretty challenging moves that we have to make in the course of the summer, moving them up there, for one thing, and moving them between pastures.”

Pullman acknowledged, “I think that the thing that I really appreciated, the way this script was considered was, you know, you are watching these different breeds all behaving slightly differently, but I think of that quote from Buck Brannaman, which is in dealing with horses it is that they’re all 100 percent honesty, making that relationship really honest with that horse, no matter what its character is. And, really, they are important to us.”

Horses are as important in our lives today as they have been through recorded history. They helped shape the ranches of the west into what they are and played a crucial role in the creation of our cities.

Today’s horses not only aid in ranching, but are friends to those who own them. Horses are not only American, but the American breeds are integral to the Intermountain West and the country itself.  “American Horses” premieres Feb. 23 on PBS.

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Today is Bill Pullman day on http://wtfpod.com! David Lynch, dream analysis, The Sinner, Spaceballs, Bill Paxton! Great guy! Do it up!

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Alamo Drafthouse’s New D.C. Location Has A Movie Presidents Theme – And Bill Pullman Was There To Open It

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We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We’re going to live on. We’re going to survive. You know the rest.

Source: Alamo Drafthouse’s New D.C. Location Has A Movie Presidents Theme – And Bill Pullman Was There To Open It

Bull Pullman checking out a statue of himself

Bryce Bernier
By Danielle Ryan/Dec. 10, 2021 6:02 pm EST

The doors might not play “Hail to the Chief” when you walk in, but otherwise the new Alamo Drafhouse location is as presidential as it gets. The latest Drafthouse location starts its soft opening today, December 10, 2021, in Washington, D.C., and promises to give theater-goers a fun experience with a lobby themed to movie presidents, a bar that’s straight out of a spy film, and an “Independence Day”-themed theater. The centerpiece of the “Hall of Movie Presidents” is a statue of President Whitmore from “Independence Day,” arguably the greatest movie president of all time. Bill Pullman, the man who brought him to life and inspired us all out of our seats with his impassioned speech, was the guest of honor at the grand opening, blessing the venue with his presidential presence.

The Grand Opening Event

Bill Pullman and Tim League using a sword on a champagne bottle
Bill Pullman and Tim League using a sword on a champagne bottle
Bryce Bernier

In Alamo Drafthouse tradition, the opening of the new location was celebrated by using a saber to open a champagne bottle, and Pullman was given the honors. Not only did he get to see his younger self as a life-sized statue, immortalized for all time, but he had a chance to open a bottle of booze with a sword. With the greatest fictional president blessing the latest location of premium experience movie theaters, the future bodes well for D.C.’s Drafthouse.

Alamo Drafthouse Presents Cinema’s Best Presidents

Lobby of the Alamo Drafthouse D.C. Location Lobby of the Alamo Drafthouse D.C. Location
Bryce Bernier

The 45,000 square foot theater complex features nine screens and nearly 900 seats. This is the first Alamo Drafthouse right in downtown D.C., joining two locations in northern Virginia that serve the greater D.C. area. The theater is located at 630 Rhode Island Ave NE, adjacent to the Rhode Island Aven-Brentwood metro station and is hard to miss with its massive red and silver minimalist geometric design.

The “Hall of Presidents” in the lobby pays homage to 11 of cinema’s greatest movie presidents, including portraits of Kevin Kline’s President Kovic from “Dave,” Harrison Ford’s President Marshall from “Air Force One,” Morgan Freeman’s President Trumbull from “Deep Impact,” and more. The centerpiece, of course, is the life-sized statue of Pullman’s President Thomas J. Whitmore from the 1996 film “Independence Day,” where he must rally the flagging forces of the world’s militaries to stand up and fight for the survival of Earth. His famous speech is engraved on the wall behind the statue, ready to inspire any movie-goer that happens to walk by.

Get Up and Go to the Big Show

Door to the Big Show auditorium
Door to the Big Show auditorium
Bryce Bernier

In addition to the statue of President Whitmore, the theater pays tribute to “Independence Day” with the design for its Premium Large Format Standard auditorium, boasting the largest movie screen of any theater in D.C. The auditorium features 217 reclining seats, a state-of-the-art 4K Laser projection system, Dolby Atmos audio technology pumped through 76 speakers, and a massive 66-feet wide by 28-feet tall screen. That’s more than half as tall as the Hollywood sign, and longer than your average semi truck. The entrance to this auditorium, called “The Big Show,” features an “Independence Day”-themed wall and doorway, with alien ships attacking the White House and biplanes trying to shoot them down.

Enjoy a Cocktail Shaken, Not Stirred at The Highbinder

Highbinder Bar at Alamo Drafthouse D.C.
Highbinder Bar at Alamo Drafthouse D.C.
Bryce Bernier

For those feeling a little less out-of-this-world, you can get out of your head with a few pints at the theater’s stand-alone bar, The Highbinder, which is inspired by political spy thrillers. The bar, which features a black-and-white diamond patterned floor and industrial chic fixtures, is exactly the kind of place you’d expect to see Jason Bourne or James Bond hanging out, and it comes complete with a special drink menu of cocktails based on spy movies. Here’s hoping they have a Vesper!

A Bit of Movie Magic for the Holidays

Outside of Alamo Drafthouse D.C.Outside of Alamo Drafthouse D.C.
Bryce Bernier

People have been slowly returning to theaters, with vaccinated patrons feeling more safe than they might have trying to see a movie in 2020. The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema location will feature some of the biggest Hollywood releases coming this holiday season, including Marvel’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” the highly anticipated sequel “The Matrix Resurrections,” and the Steven Spielberg remake of “West Side Story.”

Signature Programming, well known to Drafthouse attendees, will begin in January. Movie Party screenings will celebrate movie classics with props, themed drinks, and more. Brunch Screenings offer — you guessed it — a brunch menu for fans enjoying a late-morning weekend movie, while Terror Tuesday and Weird Wednesday highlight horror and genre finds that are sure to surprise your average movie-goer.

Guests who visit through the “soft opening” between now and December 15, 2021 will receive 25% discounts on select food and non-alcoholic beverages. Tickets are on sale now at Drafthouse.com.

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‘The Sinner’ Ending With Season 4 on USA Network

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The drama starring Bill Pullman will air its series finale in December.

Source: ‘The Sinner’ Ending With Season 4 on USA Network

USA Network is bringing The Sinner to a close.

The NBCUniversal-owned cable outlet says the currently airing fourth season of the drama starring Bill Pullman will be its last. What’s now the series finale for the UCP-produced show is scheduled to air Dec. 1, and will further whittle down USA’s roster of scripted series.

“It’s been a huge pleasure and a privilege to be able to tell the kind of stories we have on The Sinner these past four seasons,” said creator and executive producer Derek Simonds. “UCP and USA have been ideal partners and continually supportive of our creative goals, and I’m so pleased to complete Harry Ambrose’s dramatic series-long arc as we intended in this final season. A huge thank you to my partner-in-crime, Bill Pullman, and to the talented actors, writers, directors, and crew who gave their all to help realize this show. It’s been an incredible journey.”

With The Sinner ending, USA’s lone current scripted series is Chucky, which it shares with fellow NBCU cabler Syfy. Anthology series Dirty John remains in limbo, and the network is developing a potential series remake of Walking Tall featuring WWE star Charlotte Flair. USA will become the home of much of the live sports programming currently featured on NBCSN when the latter channel shuts down at the end of the year, and it lately has focused on unscripted programming to supplement its WWE tentpoles, Monday Night Raw and NXT.

Simonds is showrunner of The Sinner and executive produces with Jessica Biel (an Emmy nominee for starring in the show’s first season) and Michelle Purple of Iron Ocean, Charlie Gogolak, Adam Bernstein and Nina Braddock.

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The Talk – Bill Pullman on ‘The Sinner’ Season Four; Shooting in Nova Scotia

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The Talk - Bill Pullman on 'The Sinner' Season Four; Shooting in Nova Scotia

Nov 8, 2021

Monday on “The Talk” Bill Pullman discusses the fourth season of “The Sinner” and his character, Detective Harry Ambrose being retired. “That was the idea, to be retired.” Pullman adds, “The end of the third season he commits a violent act. He shoots a man that is unarmed… so he’s living with that trauma. So he goes to a remote island to kind of get away from it all. He’s off his meds and drama ensues.” He adds about shooting on location, “It’s a really beautiful part of the world, Nova Scotia where we were shooting. The first three season were in New York, lower Hudson area. But this was an island that I go to, to get away from it all. It’s a UNESCO [World] heritage town, called Lunenburg… it’s beautiful. Over 70 percent of the buildings are over 200 years old… most of the sets were 5 minutes’ walk away. We were living not in some back lot, except that the schooners that then came out in full masts were real, no CGI.”

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