In Search of Her Romeo, This Juliet Gains a Friar Laurence

Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Discovery William Hurt

Classic Stage Company’s new production of “Romeo and Juliet” has lost its leading man to a film, but gained a film star and onetime New York theater luminary - William Hurt - in the role of Friar Laurence.

The Off Broadway theater company announced on Tuesday that Finn Wittrock (Happy in the 2012 Broadway revival of “Death of a Salesman”), who had been cast as Romeo opposite Elizabeth Olsen (“Martha Marcy May Marlene”) as Juliet, has dropped out to join the movie production of “The Normal Heart.” A new Romeo will be announced soon.

The theater also confirmed that Mr. Hurt - an Oscar winner for “Kiss of the Spider Woman” and a Tony Award nominee for “Hurlyburly” in 1985 - will play Friar Laurence. Mr. Hurt was a fixture in the much-loved Circle Repertory Theater company in the 1970s and early ’80s, starring in its landmark production of the Lanford Wilson play “Fifth of July,” but hasn’t performed onstage in New York in years.

In additional casting news, Classic Stage said that T.R. Knight (“Grey’s Anatomy”) will play Mercutio and Daphne Rubin-Vega (“Rent”) will play the nurse.

The production, to be directed by Tea Alagic, is scheduled to begin performances on Sept. 27 and open on Oct. 16. A Broadway production of “Romeo and Juliet,” starring Orlando Bloom and Condola Rashad, is set to start performances on Aug. 24.