Orphans: Shia LaBeouf withdraws from show

Shia LaBeouf, who was to have made his Broadway debut this spring starring as 'Treat' in the premiere of Lyle Kessler's Orphans, has withdrawn from the production "Due to creative differences." An announcement on the replacement for the role of "Treat" will be made shortly.

The Production dates remain unchanged thus far, and the show is still expected to open at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on 07 Apr 2013, following previews from 19 Mar 2013, and run through to 30 Jun 2013, as originally announced.

Directed by Daniel Sullivan, Orphans will star Alec Baldwin and Tom Sturridge.

In Orphans, two orphaned brothers are living in a decrepit North Philadelphia row house. Treat, the eldest, supports his damaged younger sibling by petty thievery, and makes the house a virtual prison for the seemingly simple-minded Phillip (Sturridge). One night he kidnaps a rich older man; Harold (Baldwin) turns out to have his own motives and becomes the father figure the boys have always yearned for.

Orphans premiered in 1983 at The Matrix Theatre in Los Angeles where it won the Drama-Logue Award. Following its 1985 engagement at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre, the play had a successful run at New York's Westside Arts Theatre, and was subsequently produced in London.

Orphans was made into a movie in 1987 starring Albert Finney as 'Henry,' and Matthew Modine as 'Treat'