Over a decade after his theatrical debut in Nora Ephron’s Lucky Guy, Tom Hanks is returning to the stage. And he’s doing it in grand style as both lead actor and co-writer in a new off-Broadway production destined to become a major hit. This World of Tomorrow will premiere on October 30, with tickets available starting July 24, at the Griffin Theater inside The Shed cultural center in New York, where it will run through December 21.
Hanks will play Bert Allenberry, a futuristic scientist obsessed with the idea of true love. In his desperate search for his soulmate, he embarks on a series of time-traveling journeys that take him to the 1939 World’s Fair in Queens still considered a landmark universal exposition. A romantic comedy with a sci-fi twist, the play is based on short stories written by Hanks himself and brought to the stage with a script co-written alongside playwright James Glossman.
The production will be directed by Kenny Leon, known for his work on Othello starring Denzel Washington and a recent revival of Our Town. According to Leon, it will be thrilling to see the star lead the cast in a story that explores the transformative power of love and the distances both literal and metaphorical, that people are willing to go to find it. The director has described the play as a captivating journey through the traces left by past generations and the sometimes unexpected collisions between different eras, all delivered with sincere and disarming humor.
Hanks himself has expressed great enthusiasm for the project, emphasizing that the story revolves around themes of love, longing, and the connection between past and present. He described the upcoming theatrical experience as something truly unique, likening it to the once-in-a-lifetime atmosphere of the 1939 World’s Fair itself–a symbol of progress, dreams, and hope.
Widely recognized as one of Hollywood’s most versatile and beloved actors, Hanks is a two-time Academy Award winner for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump, with a career spanning comedy, drama, historical thrillers, and animation. Beyond film, he has consistently shown a deep passion for storytelling in all its forms: as a writer, producer, director, and now, more than ever, a man of the theater. This World of Tomorrow marks a new chapter in his boundless creative journey, confirming that for Hanks, the stage has never been merely a return, but another realm to explore.
