Neal Street News

Opening Night is Sunday, September 29

www.thehillsofcalifornia.com

The New York premiere of Jez Butterworth’s new play The Hills of California, directed by Sam Mendes, begins preview performances tomorrow night, September 11, at the Broadhurst Theatre (235 W. 44th Street). Produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, No Guarantees Productions, Neal Street, Brian Spector, and Sand & Snow Entertainment, with Stephanie P. McClelland, the limited engagement will celebrate opening night on Sunday, September 29.

A limited number of seats for The Hills of California will be available via Digital Lottery and in person Rush:

Telecharge Digital Lottery: Entries for The Hills of California digital lottery open at 12 AM one day before the performance. Winners are drawn that same day at 10am and 3pm. Winners may buy up to 2 tickets at $52 each. Visit?https://rush.telecharge.com/ to enter.

In Person Rush: Subject to daily availability, a limited number of tickets may be available for rush beginning at 10am the day of the performance at the Broadhurst Theatre box office. There is a limit of two tickets per person and tickets are $37 each.

Single tickets are on sale at Telecharge.com, by calling 212-239-6200, or in person at the Broadhurst Theatre box office.

 

The Hills of California’s Broadway cast features the play’s acclaimed leading London cast members – Olivier Award winner and Tony nominee Laura Donnelly as Veronica/Joan; Leanne Best as Gloria; Ophelia Lovibond as Ruby; Helena Wilson as Jill; Nancy Allsop as Young Gloria; Sophia Ally as Young Ruby; Lara McDonnell as Young Joan; and Nicola Turner as Young Jill. The full company also includes David Wilson Barnes, Ta’Rea Campbell, Bryan Dick, Richard Lumsden, Richard Short, Liam Bixby, Ellyn Heald, Max Roll, and Cameron Scoggins. The company understudies are Jessica Baglow, Sawyer Barth, Erin Rose Doyle, Liz Pearce, Q. Smith, and Sadie Veach.

 

The Hills of California marks Tony and Olivier Award winner Butterworth’s newest play since the multi-award winning The Ferryman, also directed by Oscar, Tony, and Olivier Award winner Mendes.

 

In June the production concluded its limited engagement at the Harold Pinter Theatre on the West End, where it received 2024 Best New Play and Best Leading Actress in a Play (Laura Donnelly) Olivier Award nominations. Critics said:

 

“Jez Butterworth is back and he’s still remarkable.” – Time Out

 

????? “A rich, funny, brilliantly layered drama about lost dreams, trampled hopes, parenting and letting go.” – Financial Times

 

“The Hills of California is a top-of-the-range night out. Flawless Sam Mendes magic.” – Daily Mail

 

“Hilarious and devastating, The Hills of California will undoubtedly cement Jez Butterworth's reputation as our greatest living playwright.” – Vogue

 

“A pitch-perfect production from Sam Mendes. Devastatingly moving, bitterly funny, tender, cruel, and wise.” – The Stage

 

“A play of beauty, heat and pain, all built on a shattered dream.” – Mail on Sunday

 

“What is a song? A song is a dream... a place to be. Somewhere you can live.  And in that place, there are no walls. No boundaries. No locks. No keys. You can go anywhere...” 

Following their triumphant production of The Ferryman, Tony®-winning Playwright Jez Butterworth and Oscar and Tony-winning Director Sam Mendes reunite for The Hills of California. 

In the sweltering heat of a 1970s summer, the Webb sisters return to their childhood home in Blackpool, an English seaside town, where their mother Veronica lies dying upstairs. Gloria and Ruby now have families of their own. Jill never left. And Joan? No one’s heard from her in twenty years… but Jill insists that their mother’s favorite won’t let them down this time.

 

The run-down Sea View Guest House is haunted by bittersweet memories of amusement park rides and overdue bills. Back in the 1950s, each night the four young sisters rehearse their singing act, managed by their fiercely loving single mom. But when a record producer offers a shot at fame and a chance to escape, it will cost them all dearly. With stunning design and glorious music, The Hills of California is “a rich, funny, brilliantly layered drama.” (Financial Times).

 

The full creative team for The Hills of California includes Rob Howell (designer), Natasha Chivers (lighting design), Nick Powell (composer, sound design and arrangements), Ellen Kane (choreography), Campbell Young Associates (wigs, hair & makeup design), Candida Caldicot (musical supervision and arrangements), Kate Wilson (dialect coach), Amy Ball (UK casting director, Verity Naughton (UK young persons’ casting director), Jim Carnahan CSA, JV Mercanti (US casting director), Zoé Ford Burnett (UK associate director), Joan Sergay (US associate director), Gemma Fuller (UK associate choreographer), Sara Brians (US associate choreographer), and Charles M. Turner III (production stage manager).