Oleanna to close on 3 Jan

The first-ever Broadway production of Oleanna, by Pulitzer Prize winner David Mamet, will end its Broadway engagement on 3 Jan 2010. The drama had been selling tickets through to 7 Mar 2010.

Following an engagement last summer at The Mark Taper Forum, Oleanna, opened on Broadway at the John Golden Theatre on 11 Oct 2009, following previes from 29 Sep 2009

The play stars Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles (in her Broadway debut) and features direction by Tony Award winner Doug Hughes (Doubt).

"On behalf of the producers, we're thrilled to have brought David Mamet's brilliant play to Broadway with this amazing cast under Doug Hughes' innovative direction," said Finn. "From our initial opening in Los Angeles, we're proud of the work that we were able to bring to New York as Oleanna's first Broadway production. The intense reactions from New York audiences to this play and the exceptional, critically-praised work by Bill and Julia have been immensely gratifying. We've had great audiences since September, and as our sales are concentrated through the holidays, January feels like the right time to end. Announcing this now still allows audiences seven weeks to experience Oleanna."

Oleanna is about a power struggle between a male professor who agrees to give extra study help to one of his female students and the resultant accusation of sexual harassment by that student.

The show opened to mixed reviews: "Not satisfying" (newyorktheatreguide); "its ending found me almost drowsy" (NY Times); "Lost none of its power to provoke" (Bloomberg); "Gripping new production" (USA Today); "Certainly visceral theater, but, in this production, it doesn't offer much to think about." (Record).

The production features scenic design by Neil Patel, costume design by four-time Tony Award winner Catherine Zuber, lighting design by two-time Tony Award winner Donald Holder and fight direction by Rick Sordelet.

Oleanna is produced by Jeffrey Finn, Arlene Scanlan, Jed Bernstein, Ken Davenport, Carla Emil, Ergo Entertainment, Harbor Entertainment, Elie Hirschfeld, Rachel Hirschfeld, HOP Theatricals, Brian Fenty/Martha H. Jones and Center Theatre Group.