Jude Law will play Hamlet on Broadway

Jude Law will play Hamlet on Broadway

NEW YORK — Jude Law will play Shakespeare’s melancholy Dane on Broadway this fall.

The 36-year-old British actor will star in “Hamlet,” opening Oct. 6 at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York for a 12-week engagement. Previews begin Sept. 12.

The critically acclaimed production comes from London’s Donmar Warehouse. Law will be joined by the rest of the British cast under the direction of Michael Grandage.

It will be Law’s first Broadway appearance since 1995, when he appeared in “Indiscretions” with Kathleen Turner, Cynthia Nixon, Roger Rees and Eileen Atkins.

‘Ragtime’ revival slated for October

NEW YORK — Get ready for the return of “Ragtime.”

A revival of the musical adapted from E.L. Doctorow’s epic novel of early 20th-century America will open Nov. 15 on Broadway. Previews begin Oct. 23 at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York.

Producer Kevin McCollum says the $8 million production will feature a cast of nearly 40 actors and an orchestra of more than two dozen musicians. Casting will be announced.

The musical was first seen on Broadway in 1998. The revival was first done last spring at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.

Stiles will make stage debut in ‘Oleanna’

NEW YORK — Julia Stiles will make her Broadway debut in a revival of David Mamet’s “Oleanna,” opening Oct. 11 at the Golden Theater in New York.

The 28-year-old Stiles will play a student and Bill Pullman will play a college professor in the production. Previews begin Sept. 29.

“Oleanna” is now on view at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles through July 12.

Mamet will be a busy man in New York this fall. Two one-act plays — “School” and “Keep Your Pantheon” — open Sept. 30 at off-Broadway’s Atlantic Theater Company. Also on tap for the new season is “Race,” starring James Spader and Richard Thomas. It opens on Broadway in December.

Lavish ‘Mermaid’ will close in August

NEW YORK — “The Little Mermaid” is set for its final Broadway swim.

The lavish musical based on the Disney animated film will close Aug. 30 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York after a run of 685 performances.

Producer Thomas Schumacher says a national tour is planned for fall 2010. It will be followed by overseas productions.

“The Little Mermaid” opened in January 2008.

Today’s birthdays

Actress Katherine Helmond (“Who’s The Boss,” “Soap”) is 80. Actress Shirley Knight is 73. Musician Robbie Robertson is 66. Singer Huey Lewis is 59. Country keyboardist Charles Ventre of River Road is 57. Singer Marc Cohn is 50. Actress Edie Falco (“The Sopranos”) is 46. Actress Kathryn Erbe (“Law and Order: Criminal Intent”) is 44. Rapper RZA is 40. Rapper Bizarre of D12 is 33. Singer Jason Wade of Lifehouse is 29. Musician Dave Haywood of Lady Antebellum is 27.