Susan Sarandon & Marin Ireland

Full cast announced to join Susan Sarandon & Marin Ireland in Happy Talk

The New Group's world premiere of Happy Talk has also extended its limited run at Pershing Square Signature Center through to June 16, 2019.

Tom Millward
Tom Millward

The New Group has now revealed complete casting to join previously announced Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon and Tony Award nominee Marin Ireland in the upcoming world premiere of Jesse Eisenberg's Happy Talk.

Joining Ms. Sarandon and Ms. Ireland on stage will be Tedra Millan (as Jenny), Daniel Oreskes (as Bill), and Nico Santos (as Ronny).

Ms. Millan's previous stage credits include the 2017 Broadway revival of Present Laughter, as well as off-Broadway productions of The Wolves and On the Shore of the Wide World. Mr. Oreskes has over 30 Broadway and Off-Broadway credits to his résumé and was last seen on the New York stage in the Tony Award-winning "Best Play" Oslo, and Mr. Santos is perhaps best known for his screen appearances in "Crazy Rich Asians" and NBC's "Superstore".

In addition, The New Group has announced a 2-week extension for the limited engagement. Happy Talk begins previews at Pershing Square Signature Center's Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre on April 30, 2019, ahead of an official opening on May 16, and will now play its final performance on June 16, 2019 (instead of June 2).

Synopsis: "Lorraine (Susan Sarandon) is a saint of the suburbs. On top of trying to save her dying mother, miserable husband and estranged daughter, she's starring as Bloody Mary in the Jewish Community Center production of South Pacific. When her mother's home aide, Serbian immigrant Ljuba (Marin Ireland), asks for help finding a husband, Lorraine takes on her most challenging role to date: matchmaker. In Jesse Eisenberg's hysterical and devastating play, Happy Talk, he reveals the absurd lengths people go to save themselves in the name of saving others."

Directed by Scott Elliott, the creative team behind Happy Talk features scenic design by Derek McLane, costume design by Clint Ramos, lighting design by Jeff Croiter and sound design by Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen.

Academy Award nominee Jesse Eisenberg, perhaps best known for his film roles in "The Social Network," "Zombieland," and as Lex Luthor in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," previously collaborated with The New Group with the world premiere production of his play The Spoils. His other plays include The Revisionist and Asuncion, both produced by Rattlestick Playwrights Theater at the Cherry Lane Theatre. He also starred in all three of his aforementioned plays.

Susan Sarandon won an Oscar in 1996 for her performance in "Dead Man Walking" and had previously earned a total of four Oscar nominations - for "The Client" in 1995, for "Lorenzo's Oil" in 1993, for "Thelma & Louise" in 1992, and for "Atlantic City, USA" in 1982. As an actor, she has also earned a total of nine Golden Globe nominations and five Emmy Award nominations throughout her career on screen. Sarandon last appeared on the New York stage in the 2009 Broadway revival of Exit the King. She earned Drama Desk Award nominations for her Off-Broadway performances in Extremities in 1983 and A Couple White Chicks Sitting Around Talking in 1980 and she made her Broadway debut in An Evening With Richard Nixon and... in 1972.

Marin Ireland earned a Tony Award nomination in 2009 for her Broadway debut in Reasons To Be Pretty. Other Broadway credits include After Miss Julie and The Big Knife. She was recently seen off-Broadway in Atlantic Theater Company's world premiere of Blue Ridge, as well as Classic Stage Company's revival of Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke. Her screen credits include "Hell or High Water," "Glass Chin," and "Homeland".

Originally published on

Subscribe to our newsletter to unlock exclusive New York theatre updates!

Special offers, reviews and release dates for the best shows in town.

You can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy