Leighton Meester will make her Broadway debut opposite James Franco and Chris O’Dowd in “Of Mice and Men.”
The “Gossip Girl” star will play Curley’s Wife, a vain woman who flirts with the ranch hands who work for her husband with tragic consequences. The adaptation of John Steinbeck’s Depression era novel also marks the Great White Way debuts of Franco (“This Is The End”) and O’Dowd (“Bridesmaids”).
Performances begin March 19, 2014 with an official opening set for April 16, 2014 at the Longacre Theatre. The limited engagement will run through July 27, 2014.
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Tony-winner Anna D. Shapiro (“August: Osage County “) directs the play. It’s the first time in 40 years that a stage version of Steinbeck’s tale of two drifters has been seen on Broadway.
In addition to playing the big city social butterfly Blair Waldorf on “Gossip Girl,” Meester’s credits include the film “Country Strong” and the television shows “24,” “Entourage” and “House.”
David Binder is producing “Of Mice and Men” with Kate Lear, Darren Bagert, Adam Zotovich, Barbara Whitman and Latitude Link.