Notable productions
True West was first performed at the Magic Theatre in San Francisco, where Shepard was the resident playwright. It had its world premiere there on July 10, 1980.[5] It was originally directed by Robert Woodruff and starred Peter Coyote as Austin, Jim Haynie as Lee, Tom Dahlgren as Saul Kimmer and Carol McElheney as Mom. The production moved from the Magic Theatre to the Marines Memorial Theatre in San Francisco in 1981. Ebbe Roe Smith replaced Coyote as Austin.[6]
This production premiered off-Broadway at Joseph Papp's The Public Theater, opening on December 23, 1980, and closing on January 11, 1981. The play starred Tommy Lee Jones and Peter Boyle and was directed by Robert Woodruff.[7]
It was produced by the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in 1982, with the then fairly unknown actors Gary Sinise (who also directed the production) and John Malkovich playing the leads.[8] With Shepard's approval, this production transferred to off-Broadway, where it opened at Cherry Lane Theatre in October 1982.[9] It closed on August 4, 1984, after 762 performances,[10] and, later in the run, the leads were taken over by Bruce Lyons, James Belushi, Gary Cole, Tim Matheson, Erik Estrada, Dennis Quaid and Randy Quaid. A television movie of the stage play, with Sinise and Malkovich, appeared on American Playhouse in January 1984.[11]
Philip Seymour Hoffman and John C. Reilly played the leads on Broadway, where they switched parts during the run.[12] The play opened at the Circle in the Square Theatre on February 17, 2000, and closed on July 29, 2000, after 154 performances and 21 previews.[13] The director, Matthew Warchus, requested that the Tony Administration Committee consider Hoffman and Reilly as a single unit for Tony nominations, but the Committee decided that they would be considered separately.[12] Both Hoffman and Reilly each received a nomination. This revival was also nominated for Best Play and Best Director (Matthew Warchus).[13]
Bruce Willis and Chad Smith starred in a filmed version of the play, which was shown on Showtime in August 2002. The play was filmed in front of a live audience and directed by Gary Halvorson with Andrew Alburger and Danielle Kennedy in supporting roles.[14]
The play was revived on Broadway at the American Airlines Theatre by the Roundabout Theatre Company, entering previews on December 27, 2018, and officially opening on January 24, 2019.[15] It was directed by James Macdonald and starred Ethan Hawke as Lee and Paul Dano as Austin.[16]
International productions
The play was produced in London by the Royal National Theatre at the Cottesloe Theatre, opening on December 3, 1981. Directed by John Schlesinger, the cast starred Bob Hoskins as Lee and Antony Sher as Austin, with Patricia Hayes as Mom and Shane Rimmer as Saul.[17]
The Donmar Warehouse presented the play in 1994, starring Mark Rylance and Michael Rudko, directed by Matthew Warchus.[18] Sheridan Morley wrote, "This is really a two-man play and as Rylance and Rudko prowl around each other, giving two of the best-contrasted and indeed best performances in town, 'True West' seems somehow a much stronger, funnier and more savage play than I recall from its first National outing over here in the early 1980s."[19] The production began at the Quarry Theatre in Leeds. Matt Wolf called the Donmar Warehouse production a "blazing revival", "one of the best-attended of [Sam] Mendes' early years". The male leads swapped roles every 3 or 4 performances.[20]
Wilson Milam directed a production at the Bristol Old Vic in November 2003, with Phil Daniels as Lee and Andrew Tiernan as Austin.[21] The British Theatre Guide reviewer noted, "The design, by Dick Bird, who was responsible for the much-admired Great Expectations at the Old Vic earlier this year, is excellent. White framed windows opening on to a patio area with plants, furniture and skies beyond."[22] The production replaced the smashing of a typewriter with a modern working laptop, and used 20 working toasters. The production caused the Bristol Old Vic to remove the first three rows of seats for fear that the audience would be harmed and to install a Perspex shield for safety reasons. It received much critical acclaim from the British national press and was cited as "Pick of the Week" in The Guardian newspaper (October 27, November 2, 2003).
Soulpepper, Toronto's largest theatre company, presented Patricia Hamilton, Stuart Hughes and Mike Ross in a production directed by Nancy Palk at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, running in April – May 2013.[23] Pittsburgh Public Theater's production was directed by Pamela Berlin, with Ken Barnett (Austin) and David Mogentale (Lee), running from November 7 to December 8, 2013, at the O'Reilly Theater.[24] The Citizen's Theatre in Glasgow presented True West in October 29 – November 16, 2013, directed by Philip Breen, starring Alex Ferns and Eugene O'Hare.[25] This production ran at the Tricycle Theatre in London in September 2014.[26] Ivy Arts Centre, University of Surrey, performed by Lone Twin on 24 February 2015.[27] The Plank Theatre Company produced the play at the Complex Theatre in Hollywood, California, in October 2017. The actors, Jacob Grodnik and Drake Shannon, alternated the roles of "Austin" and "Lee" for each performance. "Saul" was performed by Mishone Feigin and the "Mom" was played by Melissa Jobe.
The Vaudeville Theatre in London presented the first West End production of the play which ran from 23 November 2018 to 23 February 2019. Directed by Matthew Dunster, the production starred Kit Harington as Austin and Johnny Flynn as Lee.[28] The Roundabout Theater Company produced the play on Broadway with Ethan Hawke and Paul Dano, which ran from December 27, 2018, to March 17, 2019.[29] A production directed by Braden Abraham ran as part of the Seattle Repertory Theatre's 2019–2020 season, between January 17 and February 16, 2020.[30]
