Cobie Smulders & more to join Kevin Kline on Broadway

Additional casting has been announced to join Oscar winner and two-time Tony Award winner Kevin Kline (Garry Essendine) in the Broadway revival of Noël Coward's classic comedy Present Laughter, directed by Tony nominee Moritz von Stuelpnagel, which is scheduled to open at the St. James Theatre on 5 April 2017, following previews from 10 March, and play a limited engagement through to 2 July 2017.

Cobie Smulders will make her Broadway debut as Joanna Lyppiatt, alongside Tony & Emmy nominee Kate Burton (Liz Essendine), and Tony nominee Kristine Nielsen (Monica Reed).

Cobie Smulders is perhaps best known for her role as Maria Hill in the "Captain America" and "The Avengers" movie franchises as part of the Marvel Cinemaric Universe. Other notable screen credits include "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back," and "How I Met Your Mother." She previously appeared in the off-Broadway production of 'Love, Loss and What I Wore' at the Westside Theatre.

Kate Burton earned Tony nominations for her performances in 'Hedda Gabler,' 'The Elephant Man,' and 'The Constant Wife.' Her other Broadway credits include the 1982 production of 'Present Laughter,' 'Spring Awakening,' 'The Beauty Queen of Leenane,' 'An American Daughter,' 'Company,' 'Jake's Women,' 'Some Americans Abroad,' 'Wild Honey,' 'Doonesbury,' and 'Alice in Wonderland,' Her most notable screen credits include her Emmy nominated roles in "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal."

Kristine Nielsen earned a 2013 Tony nomination for 'Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.' Her other Broadway credits include 'You Can't Take It With You,' 'A Streetcar Named Desire,' 'Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,' 'Les Liaisons Dangereuses,' 'To Be Or Not To Be,' 'The Green Bird,' 'Jackie,' and 'The Iceman Cometh.' She also starred as Frau Schmidt in "The Sound of Music Live!"

Producer Jordan Roth released the following statement:

"Casting one leading lady to match Kevin's astounding talent, style, and commitment would have been a daunting enough feat. Casting three seemed like complete madness. How lucky we are to have found Kate, Kristine, and Cobie to complete this Coward comedy dream team."

Synopsis: "Present Laughter follows a self-obsessed actor (is there any other kind?) in the midst of a mid-life crisis. Freely indulging his considerable appetite for wine, women and sleeping late (not necessarily in that order), the theatre's favorite leading man suddenly finds himself caught between fawning ingénues, crazed playwrights, secret trysts and unexpected twists."

Present Laughter is produced on Broadway by Jordan Roth, Jujamcyn Theaters, Spencer Ross, A.C. Orange International, Eric Falkenstein, Grove Entertainment, Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman, Stephanie McClelland, Harbor Entertainment, and Daryl Roth.

Originally premiereing on Broadway at the Plymouth Theatre in October 1946 with Clifton Webb in the leading role, the comedy has since enjoyed a total of four revivals - 1958 at the Belasco Theatre (starring Noël Coward himself), 1982 at Circle in the Square (starring George C. Scott), 1996 at the Walter Kerr Theatre (starring Frank Langella) and most recently by the Roundabout Theatre Company in 2010 at the American Airlines Theatre (starring Victor Garber).

Kevin Kline won Tony Awards for his performances in 'On the Twentieth Century' (1978) and 'The Pirates of Penzance' (1981). More recently, he earned a Tony nomination for 'Henry IV' in 2004. Other Broadway credits include 'Cyrano de Bergerac,' 'Ivanov,' 'Arms and the Man,' 'Loose Ends,' 'The Three Sisters,' 'The Time of Your Life,' 'Edward II,' 'The Robber Bridegroom,' 'Scapin,' 'Measure for Measure,' and 'The Beggar's Opera.' His many screen credits include his Oscar-winning performance in "A Fish Called Wanda," along with a total of 5 Golden Globe nominations, 2 BAFTA nominations and an Emmy nomination.

- by Tom Millward