Producer Scott Rudin is back on Broadway this season with the boldest works of his comeback thus far: a critically acclaimed play about four convicted sex offenders and a starry, but nearly wordless play, Small Mouth Sounds, with Julia Roberts and Paul Rudd. 

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The play, Downstate, written by Bruce Norris, premiered in 2018 at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in 2022, where it received positive reviews. Joe Mantello, who has led all of Rudin’s Broadway projects after his comeback, will also direct this piece, which runs this fall at the Booth Theatre starting Oct. 17, ahead of a Nov. 15 opening. 

Small Mouth Sounds, written by Bess Wohl, last season’s Pulitzer Prize winner for Liberation, will run this spring, starring Roberts and Rudd as well as Martin Freeman, Greta Lee, Sarah Paulson and Isaac Powell. The comedic play, which is set at a silent retreat, has the unique convention of having the majority of its characters barely speak, and rather rely on their physicality. It comes to Broadway after well-reviewed runs Off-Broadway in 2015 and 2016. 

Mantello also directs this play, which is set to begin performances Feb. 18, 2027 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, ahead of a March 18 opening. 

Downstate has previously attracted some controversy for taking on the topic of pedophilia, as one of the sex offenders, who lives with the others in a group home, is confronted by a former student. Sen. Ted Cruz responded to a positive review of the play in The Washington Post by tweeting “So now the corporate media is praising pedophilia,” alongside other critiques from right-wing commentators. 

The cast of Downstate will feature The Bear’s Liza Colón-Zayas, K. Todd Freeman and Francis Guinan, both of whom appeared in the original Chicago cast, Cassie Beck, Adrian Martinez, Al’Jaleel McGhee, Thomas Sadoski and Ivy Wolk. Rudin made the rare choice to tease the play, and its director, on signage that appeared above the Booth Theatre last month. He is producing both plays with Barry Diller. 

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The announcements follow Rudin’s return to Broadway producing last season with Death of A Salesman, starring Laurie Metcalf and Nathan Lane, which won six Tony Awards, including best revival of a play, as well as Little Bear Ridge Road, last fall. 

Rudin also teased that he will present another work this season starring Metcalf which is yet to be announced.

Rudin had stepped away from producing in 2021, after a Hollywood Reporter story detailed multiple claims from Rudin’s former employees of bullying and verbal abuse as well as throwing objects at staff. This also sparked a protest on Broadway, and Rudin’s resignation from the Broadway League. While there has been some behind-the-scenes tension, there has been little outward pushback to his return to the industry.

Throughout his career, Rudin has been known for bringing newer works from modern playwrights to Broadway, to varying degrees of success,alongside big titles, like Death of a Salesman or Hello, Dolly! with Bette Midler. This time, in an effort to get patrons to both, Rudin is offering a discount ticketing deal on Small Mouth Sounds for the first group of attendees that also buy tickets to Downstate.

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