A Behanding in Spokane: Is Christopher Walken to star?

According to Baz Bamigboye of London's Daily Mail Christopher Walken is to star in the world premiere of A Behanding In Spokane, by Academy Award-winning playwright Martin McDonagh. The article also reports that the production will begin performances at Broadway's Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in Feb 2010 and open officially in Mar 2010.

According to the report the show will also star Sam Rockwell, Anthony Mackie and Zoe Kazan.

Directed by John Crowley (A Steady Rain), A Behanding In Spokane will be McDonagh's first play to originate on Broadway.

The title is just the starting point; take a man searching for his missing hand, two con artists out to make a few hundred bucks, and an overly curious hotel clerk, and the rest is up for grabs.

A Behanding In Spokane marks Martin McDonagh's first American-set play. The dark comedy is being produced on Broadway by Robert Fox.

Christopher Walken's was nominated for a Tony for his role as Gabriel Conroy in 'James Joyce's The Dead.' He has appeared in 14 Broadway productions including: 'Hurlyburly,' 'Sweet Bird of Youth,' 'The Merchant of Venice,' 'The Plough and the Stars,' 'Enemies,' 'The Unknown Soldier and His Wife.' Walken is known mostly for his film work, having appeared in more than a 100 movies. Notable film work include 'The Deer Hunter' for which he won an Oscar, and 'Catch Me If You Can,' which earned him an Oscar nomination. He was nominated for an Emmy for his role as 'Jacob Witting' in the TV mini-series 'Sarah, Plain and Tall.'

Sam Rockwell has appeared on Broadway in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2009 in 'The 24 Hour Plays.' This will mark his Broadway debut in a full Broadway show. His film work includes 'The Green Mile,' 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,' 'Frost/Nixon,' and many more. He is to star as 'Justin Hammer' in 'Iron Man II,' due for release in May 2010.

Anthony Mackie has appeared on Broadway in the 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009 'The 24 Hour Plays.' His Broadway credits include 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' and 'Drowning Crow.' He won an Ovie Award in 2002 for his work in Carl Hancock Rux's 'Talk.' In 2008 he starred in August Wilson's 'Black Bottom,' 'Fences,' and 'Jitney' at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Columbia. He made his first leading role in film when he starred in 'Brother to Brother' (2003).

Zoe Kazan made her Broadway debut in 2008, playing 'Marie' in 'Come Back, Little Sheba.' Later in the same year she played 'Masha' in the Broadway production of The Seagull, which starred 'Kristin Scott Thomas.' Her film credits include 'August,' 'Me and Orson Welles' and 'Revolutionary Road.'

Martin McDonagh's Broadway credits include 'The Beauty Queen of Leenane,' 'The Lonesome West,' 'The Pillowman' (directed by John Crowley) and 'The Lieutenant of Inishmore,' all of which received Tony Award nominations for Best Play. His play 'The Cripple of Inishmaan' played an extended engagement at the Atlantic Theater earlier this year. He received the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short in 2006 for his film 'Six Shooter' and his most recent film, 'In Bruges,' received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.

John Crowley received a Tony Award nomination for his direction of 'The Pillowman' which he also directed at the National Theatre in London. Other London credits include 'Love Song,' 'On an Average Day' and 'Macbeth' (West End), 'Tales From Hollywood,' 'Juno and the Paycock,' 'The Maids,' 'How I Learned to Drive' and 'Into The Woods' (Donmar Warehouse). His films include 'Is Anybody There?,' 'Boy A' and the television film of Harold Pinter's 'Celebration.' He is currently directing A Steady Rain which begins previews on Broadway in Sep 2009, and stars Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig.

Christopher Walken