John Lithgow and Laurie Metcalf to play Bill and Hillary Clinton on Broadway

John Lithgow has famously played an alien and a serial killer. Now he's about to play Bubba on Broadway.
Laurie Metcalf and Lithgow are set to play Hillary and Bill Clinton in the new Broadway show Hillary and Clinton, which is set during the 2008 New Hampshire Democratic primary, per The Hollywood Reporter. As Hillary vies for the Democratic presidential nomination, behind closed doors, her campaign debates whether to utilize Bill Clinton in a major way or keep him out of the spotlight.
Written by A Doll's House, Part 2 playwright Lucas Hnath, the show reportedly centers around four characters; outside of Bill and Hillary Clinton, there's also strategist Mark J. Penn and Hillary's Democratic opponent, Barack Obama. Hnath says Hillary and Clinton will neither be entirely biographical nor entirely fictional. Instead, it "treats the Clintons like Shakespeare treated real people in his history plays," he says, meaning it's both "fundamentally truthful and also wildly imaginative." He added that it will explore power both in a political campaign and in a marriage.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Hillary and Clinton will begin previews on March 16, 2019. As The Hollywood Reporter notes, this will make it eligible at the 2019 Tony Awards, in which case Metcalf could potentially win for a third year in a row. Although if there's anything we learned from the actual 2008 Democratic primaries, victory should probably not be viewed as inevitable.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Today's political cartoons - March 8, 2025
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - trade wars, healthcare costs, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Marbled tea eggs recipe
The Week Recommends With a beautiful exterior, these eggs are also marked by their soft yolk
By The Week UK Published
-
The Washington Post: kowtowing to Trump?
Talking Point The newspaper's opinion editor has handed in his notice following edict from Jeff Bezos
By The Week UK Published
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published