The Stage Tracker
NewsJanuary 22, 2026

Manhattan Theatre Club’s ‘Bug’ Announces Broadway Extension

Tracy Letts’ play “Bug” has extended its limited Broadway engagement at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. The Manhattan Theatre Club…

Manhattan Theatre Club’s ‘Bug’ Announces Broadway Extension

Tracy Letts’ play “Bug” has extended its limited Broadway engagement at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. The Manhattan Theatre Club production will now continue performances through February 22, two weeks beyond its previously announced closing date of February 8.

The Broadway production officially opened January 8 after beginning previews December 16, 2025. The extension follows the play’s long-awaited Broadway debut, nearly 30 years after “Bug” was first staged.

David Cromer directs the production, which arrives on Broadway following a 2021 run at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company. The Broadway cast reunites the principal performers from that staging. Carrie Coon stars as Agnes White opposite Namir Smallwood as Peter Evans. 

The cast also includes Randall Arney as Dr. Sweet, Jennifer Engstrom as R.C., and Steve Key as Jerry Goss. Understudies Ian Duff, Michael Laurence, and Kristen Sieh complete the company. Casting is by JC Clementz, with additional casting by Caparelliotis Casting and Kelly Gillespie.

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Set in a rundown motel room in Oklahoma, “Bug” centers on Agnes, a waitress grappling with isolation, and Peter, a drifter whose paranoia increasingly shapes their relationship. As their connection deepens, Agnes begins to adopt Peter’s fears, driving the play toward escalating psychological tension.

“Bug” premiered at London’s Gate Theatre in 1996 and later received a revised Off-Broadway production at Barrow Street Theatre in 2004. That staging earned both the Lucille Lortel Award and an Obie Award for Best Play. A film adaptation of the drama was released in 2006.

The Broadway production features scenic design by Takeshi Kata, costume design by Sarah Laux, lighting design by Heather Gilbert, sound design by Josh Schmidt, and hair and make-up design by J. Jared Janas. Gigi Buffington serves as the dialect and vocal coach, while Marcus Watson is the intimacy coordinator and fight director. Christine D. Freeburg is the production stage manager.

For more information and additional details, theatergoers can visit the Manhattan Theatre Club website

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