The story of Benjamin Button is getting a new life on the New York stage.
The Public Theater has announced the complete cast for the North American premiere of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” the Olivier Award-winning musical based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous short story. Following acclaimed productions in London’s Southwark Playhouse and the West End, the musical will make its American debut this fall.
Performances begin October 8 in The Public Theater’s Newman Theater with a Joseph Papp Free Performance. The production will continue through November 15, with opening night scheduled for October 21.
The musical features a book and lyrics by Jethro Compton and music and lyrics by Darren Clark, who reimagine Fitzgerald’s story of a man who ages in reverse. Compton also directs the production, with choreography by Chi-San Howard.
Set in a Cornish fishing village on the coast of Great Britain, the musical follows Benjamin Button as he experiences life in an unconventional direction. Rather than beginning life as a baby and growing older, Benjamin enters the world as an old man and becomes younger as the years pass.
The unusual premise becomes the foundation for a story about love, family, aging and the passage of time. The production centers on a romance that must contend with Benjamin’s extraordinary condition, creating a theatrical exploration of what it means to love someone when time does not work in the usual way.
The North American production features a company of 15 actor-musicians, adding live music to the storytelling and creating an intimate theatrical experience.
The complete cast includes Jo Brook, Britney Coleman, Trevor Lindley Craft, Andrew Durand, Brandon J. Ellis, Katie Horner, Kelsee Kimmel, Casey Martin Klein, Sachiko Mae, Morgan Morse, Kris Saint-Louis, Claire-Frances Sullivan, Lauren Jeanne Thomas, Spiff Wiegand and Matt Wolpe.
The creative team includes scenic design by Compton, costume design by Anna Kelsey, lighting design by Zoe Spurr and sound design by Luke Swaffield for Autograph Sound. Mark Aspinall and Darren Clark handle orchestrations and arrangements and serve as music supervisors, with Aspinall also serving as music director.
The musical arrives as part of The Public Theater’s 2026-27 season, which features a mix of new works, contemporary productions and revivals.
Other upcoming productions include How Shakespeare Saved My Life, Good Time Charlie, Richard Nelson’s We’ll See and Fiasco Theater’s production of The Verge.
For New York theater audiences, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” offers a chance to see Fitzgerald’s enduring story transformed into a live musical after making its mark across the Atlantic.