"CATCH THE BUS! The Huntington refuels Inge's classic comedy and its season is off to a roaring start. Don't miss it!"— Joyce Kulhawik
"SUPERB! Nicholas Martin is a master. These actors are the making of an all-star repertory company."— WBUR
A snowstorm strands a bus outside of Kansas City, and its passengers — including a stubborn, lovesick cowboy and the nightclub singer he hopes to marry — seek shelter and warmth at a roadside diner. The motley crew spends one night together, filled with bluster, heartache, and laughter, searching for love in this classic American comedy. Former Artistic Director Nicholas Martin returns to direct.
Town Sheriff Will Masters seeks shelter from the storm, while Grace and Elma prepare for guests. Featuring Karen MacDonald as Grace, Ronete Levenson as Elma, and Adam LeFevre as Will Masters.
Watch
Carl talks to Grace and Will about life on the road as a bus driver. Featuring Adam LeFevre as Will Masters, Will Lebow as Carl, and Karen MacDonald as Grace.
Bo Decker announces his arrival at the diner. Featuring Noah Bean as Bo Decker, Adam LeFevre as Will, Stephen Lee Anderson as Virgil, Karen MacDonald as Grace, Nicole Rodenburg as Cherie, and Ronete Levenson as Elma.
Come behind the scenes of William Inge's Bus Stop at the Huntington with Artistic Director Peter DuBois, and actors Noah Bean (TV's "Damages"), Will LeBow, and Nicole Rodenbug.
Bus Stop Scenic Designer James Noone shares the back drop of the set with the cast and company.
Bus Stop Costume Designer Miranda Hoffman shares her designs with the cast and company.
Photo credit: T. Charles Erickson
Many critics have pointed to the character of Dr. Lyman in Bus Stop as autobiographical. Both playwright William Inge and Dr. Lyman were college professors, both struggled with alcoholism, and both were obviously well-read and educated. Throughout the play, Dr. Lyman references English literature, often Shakespeare, to the admiration (or confusion) of the other characters.
More
The idea for the playwright William Inge's 1955 hit Bus Stop percolated for some time. Years earlier, Inge had noticed an unusual courtship between fellow passengers on a bus from Missouri to Kansas.
Four of William Inge's Broadway hits from the 1950s were adapted into successful films.
To tease out the connections between our productions, we've asked the artists to interview each other about their work. Karen MacDonald ("Grace") speaks with long-time collaborator and friend, Will Lebow ("Carl").
Former Artistic Director Nicholas Martin returns to the Huntington to helm William Inge’s Bus Stop. Recently, Martin spoke with Director of New Work Lisa Timmel about the differences between Inge and Tennessee Williams and between directing classics and new work.
CATCH THE BUS! The Huntington refuels Inge's classic comedy and its season is off to a roaring start. Don't miss it!— Joyce Kulhawik
SUPERB! Nicholas Martin is a master. These actors are the making of an all-star repertory company.— WBUR
Magic! A comic triumph! Bus Stop touches your heart. The ensemble shines in this big-hearted celebration of community and the transformative power of love.— Community/TAB Newspapers
Truly marvelous! A romantic comedy crowd-pleaser. All aboard for this ride!— Boston Phoenix
Poignant and Engaging— The Boston Globe
Superb! Nicholas Martin's riveting revival is boisterous and laugh-packed!— TheatreMania.com
Endearing and finely crafted! An extraordinary ensemble! You'll be drawn into this tale of love and friendship.— Cape Cod Times
William Inge was an indisputably major artist, one of this country's half-dozen greatest playwrights.— The Wall Street Journal
Rich, funny, and fresh! A memorable achievement! An uproarious comedy that never strays from the truth.— The New York Times
Out of Kansas, Into the World: A Trove of Inge Plays— New York Times (August 6, 2009)
Noah Bean previously appeared at the Huntington in Love’s Labour’s Lost. His New York credits include Yellow Face (Public Theater) Mary Rose (Vineyard); Voyage Of The Carcass (SOHO Playhouse); The Map Maker’s Sorrow, Kid-Simple (SPF); Amerika (NYC Fringe); Crazy Jane On God, Moonchildren (HERE).
Adam LeFevre appeared on Broadway in revivals of The Devil’s Disciple, Summer and Smoke, and the 2009 production of Guys and Dolls, as well as the American premiere of Our Country’s Good, and the original Broadway productions of Footloose, the Musical and Mamma Mia.
Will LeBow returns to the Huntington having previously appeared in Bus Stop, How Shakespeare Won the West, The Cherry Orchard, Love's Labour's Lost, The Rivals (IRNE Award, Best Supporting Actor), and the world premiere of Sonia Flew. At American Repertory Theater Mr. LeBow appeared in more than 50 productions including The Merchant of Venice, Romance, Endgame, No Exit, The Birthday Party, Nocturne (Drama Desk Award nomination), and Full Circle (Elliot Norton Award).
Stephen Lee Anderson's Broadway credits include Julius Caesar, Wicked, Fiddler On The Roof, Life (X) 3, The Crucible, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Footloose and the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Kentucky Cycle.
Ronete Levenson has recently appeared Off Broadway in Lascivious Something (Women's Project/Cherry Lane Theatre), directed by Daniella Topol; Our Town (Barrow Street Theater) directed by David Cromer; What Once We Felt (Lincoln Center Theater) directed by Ken Rus Schmoll; ...
Karen MacDonald has appeared at the Huntington in Good People, Before I Leave You, Bus Stop, All My Sons, and A Civil War Christmas. Most recently she appeared as Polly Wyeth in Other Desert Cities (SpeakEasy Stage Company), Volumnia in Coriolanus, Mary Tyrone in Long Day’s Journey into Night, and Randy in Superior Donuts.
Nicole Rodenburg played in the world premieres of Allison Moore's Slasher! (Humana Festival of New American Plays at the Actors Theater of Louisville) and Sheri Wilner's The End (Guthrie Theater).
Henry Stram has appeared on Broadway in Inherit the Wind, The Crucible, Titanic as well as in the First National Tour of Spring Awakening.
William Inge was born on May 3, 1913 in Independence, Kansas. He got his first taste of the theatre an early age, watching touring shows from the balcony of the local civic center after Boy Scout meetings.
Nicholas Martin served as artistic director of the Huntington from 2000 through 2008, where he directed The Corn Is Green, She Loves Me, Present Laughter, Persephone, The Cherry Orchard, Love’s Labour’s Lost, The Sisters Rosensweig (IRNE Award, Best Director), Laughing Wild, The Rivals (IRNE Award, Best Director), ...
James Noone previously designed The Corn is Green, She Loves Me, Rabbit Hole, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Burn This, The Rose Tattoo, Ain't Misbehavin', Springtime for Henry, Fully Committed, and Dead End for the Huntington.
Miranda Hoffman designed A Civil War Christmas, Well, and Mauritius for the Huntington. She also designed the Broadway production of Well.
Philip S. Rosenberg previously designed Bus Stop and She Loves Me for the Huntington. He served as the associate lighting designer on numerous Broadway productions including A Steady Rain, 9 to 5, Shrek, Spelling Bee, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Spamalot, Bombay Dreams, The Graduate, ...
Alex Neumann designed The Athiest for the Huntington. On Broadway, he assisted on Next Fall with John Gromada and contributed to A Behanding in Spokane.
Leslie Sears has worked on the Huntington premieres of Sons of the Prophet, Vengeance is the Lord’s, A Civil War Christmas, The Miracle at Naples, and How Shakespeare Won the West, as well as Invisible Man, Private Lives, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Ruined, Bus Stop, Prelude to a Kiss, All My Sons, Fences, The Corn is Green, and The Rivals. Ms. Sears is a graduate of Boston University where she teaches stage management.
Kevin Robert Fitzpatrick continues with the Huntington after recently stage managing Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, God of Carnage, Captors, Candide, and last season’s Bus Stop.