Shia LaBeouf is set to make his stage debut in the world premiere of David Mamet’s Henry Johnson.
Directed by The L Word: Generation Q showrunner Marja-Lewis Ryan, the play follows “the plight of a man after an act of compassion upends his life,” according to the production. The play is set to open on Sept. 1 at The Electric Lodge in Venice, California, and will run for a limited number of performances through Sept. 24 during its four-week run.
“I am incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to work with David Mamet. His talent and creativity are unparalleled, and it is truly an honor to collaborate with arguably our greatest living playwright,” LaBeouf said in a statement.
LaBeouf called the production from the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright a “unique and compelling story” that “has not only inspired me but has also pushed me to grow as a performer.”
“Working with these artists has deepened my appreciation for the power of storytelling,” the actor added. “I am immensely thankful for the chance to learn from and build with them.”
Ryan — who said in her own statement that she treasures “every part of it” and that the production is “like a homecoming” — recently discussed helming the show in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, telling reporter Lesley Goldberg that she was returning to her theater roots.
“I emailed one of my mentors, David Mamet, to see if he had any plays, and I’m directing and producing one, Henry Johnson. He provides cast and funding, I do all the manual labor. It’s just the two of us,” she explained. “It’s a very different feeling after being in TV for a few years, and it feels good to be shaping something.”
The cast also features Academy Award nominee, David Paymer, Mamet’s frequent collaborator Dominic Hoffman, and Broadway star Evan Jongkeit in the show’s titular role.
“Constantin Stanislavski wrote that any director who does something interesting with the text does not understand the text,” Mamet said of the play, before speaking to Ryan’s direction. “Most stage directors are only English teachers with a stage manager to bring them tea while they confuse the actors. God forgive them, and may God bless Ms. Ryan.”
Lesley Goldberg contributed to this story.
