Jessica Chastain to Return to Broadway in Lost Lear
The two-time Tony nominee will star in Dan Colley's play about a woman with dementia reliving a memory of King Lear.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Children’s Theater
Jessica Chastain will return to Broadway in spring 2027 in the play Lost Lear, announced by Chastain on NBC's Today on November 6. Producers, dates, and additional creative team and cast members are forthcoming.
Why it matters
The announcement brings a two-time Tony nominee back to Broadway with a production that has already drawn critical recognition abroad. For readers across the United States, it signals a new stage project following her recent Broadway work.
Chastain's previous Broadway credits include A Doll's House in 2023 and The Heiress in 2012, and she is a two-time Tony nominee. Lost Lear's Broadway run has not yet been scheduled beyond the spring 2027 target, and its commercial terms remain undisclosed.
The players
Jessica Chastain
Jessica Chastain is an actress and two-time Tony nominee known for stage roles including a demonic matriarch in Other Mommy and a country music singer in Heartland.
Dan Colley
Dan Colley is the playwright of Lost Lear, a production that premiered in Dublin in 2022 and later played at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The details
Lost Lear, written by Dan Colley with music by Daniel McAuley, follows a woman with dementia who relives a memory of playing the title role in King Lear. The production uses puppetry, projection, and live video effects and premiered in Dublin in 2022.
Timeline
November 6, 2026: Chastain announces the Broadway return on NBC's Today.
Spring 2027: Lost Lear is scheduled to open on Broadway.
2022: Lost Lear premieres in Dublin.
2025: Lost Lear wins the Scotsman Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Industry Dynamics
The announcement reflects a pattern in which Broadway productions move through premieres and festival runs abroad before transferring to New York, as Lost Lear did from Dublin and Edinburgh. Stage projects built on Shakespearean source material have frequently been reworked for contemporary audiences, a tradition this production extends.
Theatergoers will be able to see Lost Lear only once its Broadway run is scheduled and tickets are available, expected in spring 2027. Pricing and seating details have not yet been released.
The takeaway
Productions that tour through festivals before reaching New York can build audiences that carry over to a major Broadway run. Readers following Chastain's stage work can watch for the producer and date announcements that will confirm the spring 2027 schedule.
What happens next
Producers, opening dates, and the creative team and cast for Lost Lear's Broadway run are expected to be announced later.
Further reading
Explore more Children’s Theater coverage for context on live stage productions.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Playbill.
