New play by Tom Hanks and James Glossman, based on stories by Tom Hanks premieres.
July 15 - August 7 at Shadowland Stages (Ellenville, NY)
SHADOWLAND STAGES in Ellenville, NY (“The cultural jewel of Southern Ulster County” - CHRONOGRAM) proudly announces the world premiere production of SAFE HOME, by Tom Hanks and James Glossman, based on stories by Tom Hanks. Performances run July 15 - August 7.
SAFE HOME serves as the centerpiece of SHADOWLAND’s 37th season and is one of the most exciting projects in its history - with an extraordinary ensemble creating the first-ever production of this new play co-written by beloved American actor Tom Hanks, and based on stories from his book Uncommon Type.
In SAFE HOME, we meet Bert Allenberry - a smart man, many say a genius. His inventions have changed the world. He has everything a man - a very rich man - is supposed to have, need, or want . . . except for Time. So now Bert is about to dive headlong through a door, into other people’s lives in other people’s places, in a time-bending odyssey to find his way SAFE HOME.
About the upcoming production, Tom Hanks said: “SHADOWLAND STAGES is the ideal venue for SAFE HOME - a safe home for a new play. The possibility to come back to the theater, to the fine hands of the ensemble, is fresh, thrilling and due!”
SAFE HOME is directed by James Glossman starring Timothy Busfield, Ellis Cahill, Leyu Girma, Paul Murphy, James Riordan, Nikkole Salter and Angeline Rose Troy.
TOM HANKS (Playwright) is an award-winning actor, producer, director, and writer. One of only two actors in history to win back-to-back Best Actor Academy Awards, Hanks has starred in over 50 films, including FORREST GUMP, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, CAST AWAY, BIG, PHILADELPHIA, and A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. With his production company, Playtone, Hanks has produced several acclaimed TV series and films including JOHN ADAMS, BAND OF BROTHERS and MAMMA MIA. In 1996, he made his feature film writing and directing debut with THE THING YOU DO, in which he also starred. He later wrote, produced, directed, and starred in LARRY CROWNE with Julia Roberts and wrote and starred in the recent WWII drama GREYHOUND for Apple TV+. Hanks has also penned serval episodes of television, and in 2017 he published his first collection of short stories titled UNCOMMON TYPE. Hanks has received AFI’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Cecil B. DeMille Award, a Kennedy Center Honor, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
JAMES GLOSSMAN (Playwright/Director) most recently co-wrote and directed the music-theatre piece SHOSTAKOVICH AND THE BLACK MONK, in collaboration with the multiple-Grammy-winning Emerson String Quartet, which has performed around the world from the Tanglewood, Wolf Trap, and Ravinia Festivals to the Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul with a rotating cast including David Strathairn, Sean Astin, Jay O. Sanders, Richard Thomas, Evelyn McGee Colbert, Jeff DeMunn, and Len Cariou. His adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s “Trouble Is My Business” had its world premiere at Portland Stage, following a benefit workshop here (w/David Strathairn and Peter Scolari) at SHADOWLAND. In three decades of collaboration with writer and journalist Jim Lehrer, Glossman adapted & directed Lehrer’s novels Kick the Can, The Special Prisoner (w/William Schallert) and Flying Crows; directed his play THE WILL AND BART SHOW; and has been developing Lehrer’s final play, GLOCK. For SHADOWLAND, he most recently directed the American premiere of John Cleese’s new farce BANG BANG! (w/Sean Astin & Scott Shepherd) and the east coast premiere of Jeff Daniels’ FLINT (w/Brendan Burke). Over the past 24 months, Glossman has directed productions written for Zoom of Lia Romeo’s SITTING AND TALKING (w/Wendie Malick & Dan Lauria), Ken Weitzman’s FIRE IN THE GARDEN (w/Sean Astin), and Nicky Glossman’s PORTRAIT OF A WOMAN IN REPOSE (w/Paula Prentiss & Tony Shalhoub). Theatre faculty at Johns Hopkins University for twenty years, and director of the theatre program at Far Brook School since 1992.
SHADOWLAND STAGES in Ellenville, New York (“A tight knit community with room to grow.” - New York Times) in the beautiful Hudson Valley, a scenic two hour drive north of Manhattan, was originally started in 1985 by a collective of actors from NYC who moved to Ellenville and started producing theatre in a former vaudeville era space on the main street in town. All these years later, and after decades of growth, the organization focuses on Producing, Presenting, Classes and Community. The season of contemporary theatre and world premieres plays and musicals is produced in The MainStage (beautifully restored Art Deco proscenium) and The Studio (a recently completed flexible black box theatre), The Academy runs arts classes for all ages, and SHADOWLAND prides itself in being a vibrant part of the community and the “cultural jewel of Southern Ulster County” (CHRONOGRAM) and “the best little Actors’ Equity playhouse in the region!” (The Hudson Valley Almanac Weekly).
TIMOTHY BUSFIELD - Broadway: BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS, A FEW GOOD MEN. Off-Broadway: Circle Repertory Company (Company Member) Richard II, The First Annual Young Playwright’s Festival (various plays). Regional Theatre: Actor’s Theatre of Louisville (company member) GETTING OUT, CYRANO DE BERGERAC, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, SHORTS, SLY FOX, PARK CITY MIDNIGHT, PROPINQUITY, SPADES. VIGIL at the Westport Country Playhouse (Connecticut Critics Circle nomination). A LIFE at The Long Wharf, A TALE TOLD at The Mark Taper Forum (a Circle Rep/CTG production), THE HOLDUP at The Saratoga Performing Arts Center (a Circle Rep Production). The B Street Theatre (Sacramento, CA) Co-Founder, Producing Director, Actor, and Director from 1986-2001. Selected plays include BELOW THE BELT (Bay Area Dramalogue Award), MASS APPEAL, Aaron Sorkin’s HIDDEN IN THIS PICTURE (also directed), TALLEY’S FOLLY, (also directed) NATIONAL ANTHEMS (also directed), THE MOTOR TRADE (also directed), PRIVATE WARS, FOOL FOR LOVE, BOOMTOWN (also directed) and ESCANABA IN DA MOONLIGHT. Mr. Busfield’s feature films include Field of Dreams, Revenge of the Nerds, Stripes, Sneakers, Striking Distance, First Kid, and Little Big League. In Television Mr. Busfield has been a series regular or recurring character in 23 series including thirtysomething (Emmy Award), The West Wing, For Life, Sleepy Hollow, “Family Ties”, “Trapper John, M.D.”, “Entourage”, “Designated Survivor”, and “The Loudest Voice”. As a television director Timothy has directed over 130 episodes including thirtysomething, Sports Night, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Law and Order SVU, FBI, FBI Most Wanted, Chicago Med, and This is Us. Timothy produced and directed the feature film Guest Artist starring Jeff Daniels. He lives in the Catskills and New York City with his wife, television icon and best-selling author, Melissa Gilbert and their dog Chicago.
EILIS CAHILL - Eilis loves SHADOWLAND, and still dreams of the summer she spent here playing Helen in THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN and smashing about eight dozen eggs over a cast-mate's head. It was grand. Eilis stars in Mind-set, a small British indie film, and MAD, a small American indie film. Eilis is especially grateful to her family, her boyfriend Ralphie, and her neighborhood deer, Beavis, who visits in the evenings.
LEYU GIRMA's most recent performance in NYC was a reading at the Ed Sullivan Theater of Jim Glossman’s adaptation of THE DOOR INTO SUMMER by Robert Heinlein, alongside Evelyn and Stephen Colbert, Roslyn Coleman, and Jeffrey DeMunn. For SHADOWLAND STAGES, she performed in two benefit readings -- first online and then later in person -- of stories upon which SAFE HOME is based. At Far Brook School (Short Hills, NJ) she played the title role in Shakespeare's THE TRAGEDY OF KING LEAR, The Messenger in Euripedes' THE CHILDREN OF HERAKLES, and The Hippo in an adaptation of the Egyptian folktale, THE BLUE FAIENCE HIPPOPOTAMUS. She has performed the part of Gertrude in the musical SEUSSICAL, and Violet Beauregarde in the musical WILLY WONKA with Vanguard Theater Company. She also performed in the musical ANNIE as Molly, with Morrow Musical Theatre Camp. She is 12 years old and lives in South Orange, NJ.
PAUL MURPHY is pleased to be back at SHADOWLAND STAGES, where he appeared as Inspector Bridois in John Cleese’s BANG BANG!; Karl in THE GOOD GERMAN; Scrooge in JACOB MARLEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL; The Chancellor in SEDITION; and the 94 year old Mammy in THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN. Before the pandemic he traveled the world as the Black Monk in SHOSTAKOVICH AND THE BLACK MONK: A RUSSIAN FANTASY, a piece performed with the Emerson String Quartet. Favorite roles—NY: President Hoover in THE BONUS ARMY; Finnegan in FINNEGAN’S WAKE; Falstaff in THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR; Autolycus in THE WINTER’S TALE; The Prince in COLE PORTER’S JUBILEE; Pseudolus in A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM; Sweetpea in POPEYE AMONGST THE POLAR BEARS; Tobias in SMILING THE BOY FELL DEAD; Conrad in the Obie-winning Horatio Alger musical BOUND TO RISE; 42 parts (including the Duke of Wellington’s Nose) in Kenneth Koch’s 1000 AVANT GARDE PLAYS. NJ and regional: Niels Bohr in COPENHAGEN; First Man in the Raymond Chandler adaptation TROUBLE IS MY BUSINESS; Reverend Sam in MRS. WARREN’S PROFESSION; The Dragon in Sheldon Harnick’s DRAGONS; Mack Now in Jim Lehrer’s KICK THE CAN; Henry Carr in TRAVESTIES; and Estragon in WAITING FOR GODOT. He is one half of Two Big Guys from Jersey and a founding member of Lunatic Fringe, a NJ-based Improv comedy troupe.
JAMES RIORDAN - Broadway: PRESENT LAUGHTER, JERUSALEM, NOISES OFF, THE ELEPHANT MAN, DANCE OF DEATH, Off-Broadway: THE COUNTESS (The Lambs Theater) Brian Friel's LOVERS (The Actor's Company Theater) DONAGOO (The Mint) OUR LEADING LADY (Manhattan Theater Club) REGIONAL: Leading roles with The Cleveland Playhouse, The Actors Theater of Louisville, The Repertory Theater of St Louis, Arena Stage, The Guthrie, The Wilma Theater, The Philadelphia Theater Company, Barrington Stage, Two River Theater, McCarter Theater. Television: The Gilded Age (upcoming) Halston, Blue Bloods, Bull, Law & Order, Law & Order CI, Law & Order SVU, Damages, Boardwalk Empire, Limitless, White Collar, The Blacklist, Public Morals, Gossip Girl, Person of Interest, Mr. Robot, All My Children, As The World Turns. Film: The Post (Directed by Steven Spielberg), Dark Horse (Directed by Roland Emmerich)
NIKKOLE SALTER is an award-winning actress, playwright, educator and arts advocate. For her work she has received the OBIE, a Helen Hayes, an Outer Critics Circle Award, a Global Tolerance Award from the Friends of the United Nations a Selfdes-Kanin fellowship from the Theatre Hall of Fame, and most recently a Lily Award for her contributions to the betterment of the theatre field. She was most recently seen on stage at the Huntington Theatre in their world premiere production of Kirsten Greenidge's OUR DAUGHTERS LIKE PILLARS, and on NBC's New Amsterdam. She is a graduate of Howard University and NYU. She is the current Chair of the Theatre Arts Department in the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts at Howard University.
ANGELINE ROSE TROY is thrilled to be part of SAFE HOME’s world premiere at SHADOWLAND. She was last on stage in original plays over the 3 years that Los Angeles hosted Sci-Fest. Past favorite shows include THE SUNSHINE BOYS with Tony Roberts, DAUGHTERS OF THE LONE STAR STATE and A CHRISTMAS CAROL at Helen Hays PAC. On screen, Angeline Rose can be seen in a dual role in the recently released “Aliens, Clown and Geeks” directed by Richard Elfman with music by Danny Elfman. She has starred in Lifetime movies including Imaginary Friend, Who Killed Allison Parks? (Allison Parks), The Good Mother and the BET films My Favorite Five and The Sin Seer.