New York, March 22, 2009 – Casting big stars - James Gandolfini, Marcia Gay Harden, Jeff Daniels and Hope Davis - in the new Broadway play God of Carnage had at least one side effect: all their friends came to opening night!  Hugh Jackman, Martha Stewart, Alan Alda, David Hyde Pierce, John Lithgow, Calvin Klein and Kenneth Cole were just some of the boldfacers at the opening.  Geoffrey Rush, Jeremy Irons and Colin Hanks, all currently appearing in their own Broadway plays, took the time to check out the competition.   Hanks took advantage of his night off from 33 Variations: “This is my only night – it’s a one-night affair for me,” he told us. 

After standing ovations, everybody traipsed over to eSpace for a party.  We ran into
America Ferrera and her Traveling Pants co-star Amber Tamblyn, who both loved the play.  “It’s such a thrill to watch such inspiring performances and watch really great theater,” Ferrera told us. 

The four stars arrived quickly with a minimum of fuss.  Hope Davis said it felt great to be back in the theater.  “With this cast and this play, it couldn’t be any more exciting,” she said.  Harden echoed the sentiment, saying that being on the Broadway stage with this group of people is “fantastic.” For Jeff Daniels, returning to the stage “feels like coming home.”

Photos: Luisa Johns/PKI