Tom Hanks is returning to Broadway after a 14-year absence, starring alongside Kelli O’Hara in the time-travel romance “This World of Tomorrow.”
The production brings Hanks and O’Hara back together after they appeared in the play’s sold-out Off Broadway run at The Shed last year. Kenny Leon will direct the Broadway staging, which is set to play at a Shubert theater still to be announced.
For Hanks, the move marks his first Broadway appearance since Nora Ephron’s “Lucky Guy” in 2013. His performance in that production earned him a Tony nomination.
“This World of Tomorrow” also gives Hanks a role beyond the stage. The play is adapted from a series of short stories he wrote, with Hanks and James Glossman co-writing the theatrical version.
A Romance Across Time
Set at the end of the 21st century, the story follows Bert Allenberry, a man intent on reshaping his future by traveling into the past. His repeated journeys take him to a single pivotal day at the 1939 New York World’s Fair in Queens.
According to the official description, Bert’s trips ultimately reveal that the future is determined not by technology, but by the decisions people make for love. The production has been characterized as a time-travel romance, with its story centering on love, human connection and the possibility of second chances.
Leon said he was eager to keep developing the work following its previous staging.
“I’m so excited to continue this work on this amazing new American play,” the director said. “There’s no time like the present to further explore this story of love and time travel from Glossman and Hanks. More than anything, I look forward to even more audiences who will have the chance to witness the onstage chemistry of Kelli O’Hara and Tom Hanks.”
Leon’s recent Broadway credits include “The Balusters,” “Othello” with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, and “Our Town” with Jim Parsons and Katie Holmes.
From The Shed to Broadway
The Shed artistic director Alex Poots described the earlier engagement as a sold-out run and said the Broadway production would allow the story to reach a larger audience.
“A beloved actor of our times, Tom Hanks co-created and starred in ‘This World of Tomorrow’ with the illuminating Kelli O’Hara for their sold out run at The Shed,” Poots said. “Reminding us that while the world changes, the deepest of human connections endures and the power of love can transcend any era. Now this story of second chances gets to reach an even wider audience on Broadway.”
Producer Brian Anthony Moreland called Hanks “one of the great storytellers of our time” and said bringing the play to Broadway was an “incredible privilege.”
“There is something extraordinary about bringing a story that explores the power of love across time to a place where the magic of live theater happens every night,” Moreland said. “At its heart, ‘This World of Tomorrow’ reminds us that no matter how much the world changes, the one thing that remains timeless is our capacity to love.”
ShowBiz Take
Hanks’ return is significant on two fronts: It ends a 14-year gap between his Broadway appearances, and it brings him back with a project rooted in his own writing. Rather than joining an unrelated production, he is co-adapting his short stories with Glossman and stepping onstage to help tell the resulting story.
The presence of O’Hara and Leon also provides continuity as the play expands beyond its sold-out engagement at The Shed. With its 21st-century setting, repeated journeys to 1939 and focus on enduring human connection, “This World of Tomorrow” pairs a science-fiction premise with a love story designed for live theater.
What Happens Next?
The specific Shubert theater has not yet been named. The production’s complete cast and remaining creative-team details are expected to be confirmed soon.