Sean Hayes to star in ‘Act of God’ in Los Angeles

Prepare ye, Los Angeles: The second coming of “An Act of God” is at hand.

The play, which ended its Broadway run at Studio 54 earlier this month, will next be seen at the Ahmanson Theatre in L.A., with Sean Hayes taking over the role originated in New York by Jim Parsons.

Producers said “An Act of God” will run at the Ahmanson for six weeks from Jan. 30 through March 13. It will be presented as part of the Ahmanson’s 2015-16 season, which is set to begin in September.

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Written by David Javerbaum, “An Act of God” imagines the Almighty descending from Heaven to possess the body of a celebrity, from whose mouth He offers withering commentary on contemporary culture. Joe Mantello will return to direct the production.

Hayes previously starred in NBC’s sitcom “Will & Grace,” for which he won an Emmy Award, and on Broadway in 2010 in “Promises, Promises.” In a statement, the actor said: “I’m excited for Joe Mantello, David Javerbaum and [producer] Jeffrey Finn to have the chance to work with me. I’ve never played God before. On stage. And it thrills me.”

Finn said in an interview that the part will be customized for Hayes. “God inhabits the body of the celebrity, so it leaves us a lot of opportunities for how the part is rewritten for each actor who does the play,” he said. “So there will be a lot of new material.”

Parsons is currently at work on the new season of CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory,” and so “Sean was our first choice,” said Finn.

In a release, producers said that “the Agreement for God to use Sean Hayes’ body was brokered through Actors’ Equity Association.” No casting has been announced for the roles of the two angels who accompany God on his theatrical sojourn.

“An Act of God” recouped its $2.9-million Broadway investment in 10 weeks. The play, which opened in May and has a running time of 90 minutes, was the first production of the new Broadway season.

Javerbaum was a writer on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” and is also behind the popular Twitter account @TheTweetofGod, where he tweets about current events and has also plugged the Broadway show.

Producers said that ticket prices start at $25 and that single tickets will go on sale starting Oct. 2.

Twitter: @DavidNgLAT

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