Cynthia Nixon’s – sadly unsuccessful – run for governor of New York in 2018 offered just a glimpse into her multifaceted talents. Now, the Sex and the City star is gearing up to show the world what else she can do, as she’s set to direct a lesbian drama on Broadway.
The actor – who played blazer-wearing, no-bullshit hero Miranda in SATC – will stage the first-ever Broadway production of the iconic play, Last Summer at Bluefish Cove, which also boasts Ellen DeGeneres and Lily Tomlin as producers.
Written by Jane Chambers, the play follows a group of queer women vacationing on Long Island’s fictional seaside town, Bluefish Cove, who are joined by a straight woman unaware of their sexual orientation. The story centres on the friendships of the women as they grapple with their friend’s cancer diagnosis. The dramedy is regarded as one of the first mainstream plays to present lesbians as three dimensional characters, avoiding problematic tropes once traditionally associated with queer stories on stage.
The play was first staged in 1980 at the Actors Playhouse in New York, before Chambers herself was diagnosed with cancer the following year, losing her battle to the illness in 1983.
Also joining Nixon’s production are Portia de Rossi, Jane Wagner, and Harriet Newman Leve, who are on board as producers. There’s no news yet on casting, venue, or opening date, though the play is set to open sometime this year.