There appears to be a hidden formula for success on stage this season: a role in “Succession.”
Numerous actors from “Succession” are currently treading the boards in New York and London, prompting the show’s creator, Jesse Armstrong, to hop from theater to theater to catch the performances of his colleagues. During a recent trip to New York, he attended four shows featuring “Succession” alums, including a revival of Henrik Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People” starring Jeremy Strong and “The Effect,” an Off Broadway production written by Lucy Prebble, who is also involved in “Succession.” In London, Armstrong watched “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” a one-woman adaptation of the Oscar Wilde classic starring Sarah Snook, and has plans to see “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” with Brian Cox.
“We drew a lot of inspiration from New York theater,” Armstrong remarked, acknowledging the numerous stage actors and playwrights who contributed to the success of “Succession,” “and I hope this season we are able to give something back.”
Arian Moayed, who portrayed Stewy Hosseini in “Succession” and starred in a Broadway revival of Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” last year, suggested that the show possessed some theatrical qualities. “Part of the show’s appeal was its one-act structure,” Moayed explained. The presence of so many “Succession” alums on stage led one small downtown theater company in New York, Bedlam, to advertise their current show, “The Assassination of Julius Caesar as told by William Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw,” as “STARRING NO ONE FROM SUCCESSION.”
Here is a glimpse of where the Roys and their associates are currently performing.
Brian Cox
In “Succession,” Cox portrayed Logan Roy, the ruthless media magnate at the center of the series. With a wealth of stage experience (including five Broadway shows), Cox is now headlining a revival of Eugene O’Neill’s “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” in London’s West End.
Jeremy Strong
Strong, known for his portrayal of Kendall Roy, the ambitious son of Logan Roy, in “Succession,” is currently receiving acclaim for his role as Dr. Thomas Stockmann in the Broadway revival of “An Enemy of the People,” where he uncovers contaminants in the local spa water.
Sarah Snook
Snook’s remarkable performance in the technology-infused “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” where she takes on the title role and all other parts, is garnering praise. The production in the West End is anticipated to transfer to Broadway. In “Succession,” she portrayed Shiv, Logan Roy’s cunning daughter.
One of the season’s Off Broadway successes, “Job,” featured Peter Friedman, who played Frank Vernon, the COO of Waystar RoyCo, and Sydney Lemmon, who had a minor role in the show as well. The producers of “Job,” which had a sold-out run downtown, are now considering a Broadway transfer.
Juliana Canfield
Juliana Canfield, known for her role as Jess, Kendall Roy’s assistant in “Succession,” is making her Broadway debut in “Stereophonic,” a play about the music industry that received strong reviews during its Off Broadway run.
Natalie Gold
Natalie Gold, who played Rava, Kendall Roy’s ex-wife in “Succession,” is currently appearing on Broadway in “Appropriate,” a play about a Southern family with dark secrets. Gold portrays Rachael, a daughter-in-law of the family’s deceased patriarch. The play, presented by the nonprofit Second Stage Theater, enjoyed a successful run on Broadway last fall and has now moved to the Belasco for a commercial run after its initial run at the Hayes.
