Mark Ruffalo and Jessica Hecht Will Star in Ironweed at BAM

On May 17, BAM will present Ironweed: An Evening of Art & Humanity, based on William Kennedy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel starring four-time Academy Award nominee Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things, The Avengers) and two-time Tony Award nominee Jessica Hecht (A View From the Bridge), directed by Jodie Markell, and produced by Brad Gilbert.

This preview will be a mix of live performance and recorded sound, featuring scenes from the new play, Ironweed, adapted by Kennedy and Markell, with excerpts from the soon-to-be-released audio recording of the play. Ironweed features songs by Tom Waits, an original score by Tamar-kali (Mudbound), and sound design by Academy Award winner Skip Lievsay (No Country for Old Men).

The performance will be followed by a conversation with Ruffalo and Hecht moderated by author and New Yorker writer Vinson Cunningham to discuss the timeliness of Ironweed. They will be joined by advocates and experts to discuss the crisis of the unhoused in today’s communities as well as the growing necessity for “art and humanity.”

Ironweed opens as All Hallow’s Eve descends upon the city of Albany in 1938. Ruffalo portrays Francis Phelan who returns to his hometown after living on the streets for many years. Hecht plays Helen Archer who once was a classical pianist studying at Vassar, but is now Francis’s loyal friend and drinking companion, accompanying him as they roam familiar haunts.

Woven into the performance are never-before-heard excerpts from the soon-to-be-released audio recording of the play featuring Norbert Leo Butz, Kristine Nielsen, John Magaro, Michael Potts, David Rysdahl, Frank Wood, Katie Erbe, and others. Kennedy narrates. The recording is produced by the AudioFilm division of Gilbert’s Autonomy Productions and will be released in fall 2024.