Opening Moves

Joan Allen, Kerry Butler, Goldie Hawn, Jeremy Irons, Chris Noth, Miranda Richardson, Geoffrey Rush, Susan Sarandon, Elaine Stritch, Tim Robbins and other stars light up Broadway's two opening nights this week.

By Joseph Marzullo,Brian Scott Lipton • Mar 27, 2009 • New York

A Broadway revival of Eugene Ionesco's absurdist comedy Exit the King opened on Thursday night at the Barrymore Theater starring Lauren Ambrose, Geoffrey Rush, and Andrea Martin.

Oscar winner Susan Sarandon plays the icy Queen Marguerite in the acclaimed production.

Sarandon's longtime partner Tim Robbins and their son Miles were among the opening night guests.

Oscar winner Goldie Hawn, who co-starred with Rush and Sarandon in the film The Banger Sisters, came out for the show.

Stage and screen favorite Chris Noth will repeat his starring role in Farragut North at L.A.'s Geffen Playhouse next season.

Two-time Oscar nominee Miranda Richardson is on the big screen in Spinning Into Butter (opposite Noth's Sex and the City leading lady, Sarah Jessica Parker).

Jason Butler Harner returns to the stage next month in the Off-Broadway play The Gingerbread House.

On Tuesday night, Michael Jacobs' new play Impressionism opened at the Schoenfeld Theater, starring Joan Allen and Jeremy Irons, both long absent from Broadway.

Marsha Mason has a brief but memorable role as the wealthy and vain Julia Davidson.

Aaron Lazar and Margarita Levieva portray a variety of characters in the show.

Andre De Shields delivers two scene-stealing performances in the play, as an African farmer and an American baker.

Television favorite Michael T. Weiss appears as a wealthy art lover.

The show's opening night guests included Kerry Butler, soon to star in the new musical Catch Me If You Can, helmed by Impressionism director Jack O'Brien.

Singing sisters Liz Callaway and Ann Hampton Callaway were welcome sights at the show's after-party at Sardi's.

Finally, here's the always irrepressible Elaine Stritch!

For TheaterMania's review of Exit the King, click here.

For TheaterMania's review of Impressionism, click here.