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Tom Hanks’ ‘This World of Tomorrow’ Opens at The Shed to Measured Reviews

Opening-night reviews emphasize nostalgic charm over clarity in the time‑travel romance.

Overview

  • The play officially opened November 18 at The Shed’s Griffin Theater after October 30 previews and is scheduled to run through December 21.
  • Hanks co-wrote the script with James Glossman, adapting stories from his 2017 collection Uncommon Type, with the plot largely drawn from “The Past Is Important to Us.”
  • Hanks stars as Bert Allenberry, a future-era scientist who repeatedly visits the 1939 New York World’s Fair, opposite Kelli O’Hara’s Carmen Perry under Kenny Leon’s direction.
  • Reviews praise the marquee performances and nostalgic mood but cite a dated tone, a two‑hour‑15‑minute running time, and fuzzy time‑travel mechanics.
  • Designers and cast draw notice, including Derek McLane’s projections and supporting turns by Ruben Santiago‑Hudson, Jay O. Sanders, Kayli Carter, Donald Webber Jr., and others.