The Oscar winner Holly Hunter has withdrawn from the Flea Theater's production of the new play “The Vandal,†citing scheduling conflicts, and will be replaced by the admired theater actress Deirdre O'Connell (“Magic/Bird,†“In the Wakeâ€), the theater announced on Tuesday. No further details about Ms. Hunter were provided.
The play, about a woman and a boy who swap stories at a bus stop one night in Kingston, N.Y., is familiar to Ms. O'Connell: She performed a staged reading of the work when it was in development.
“The Vandal†is written by the actor Hamish Linklater, best known for his stage work (“Seminarâ€) and his television role in “The New Adventures of Old Christine.†The play's cast also includes Zach Grenier and Noah Robbins; the director is Jim Simpson, the Flea's artistic director.
The Off Broadway production is scheduled to begin preview performances on Jan. 18 and open on Jan. 31.
