Chris Pine, Chris Noth take in ‘Oleanna’ at the Taper

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When a play with film stars opens in L.A., you can bet that other stars will show up on opening night. Last night, it was David Mamet’s ‘Oleanna’ at the Mark Taper Forum, featuring Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles.

The stage of the Taper was transformed into a university professor’s office for Mamet’s was-it-or-wasn’t-it sexual harassment play that starred William H. Macy and Rebecca Pidgeon when it premiered in 1992, around the time of the he-said/she-said Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings.

Among those in the audience at the Taper were Chris Pine, fresh from ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation,’ seated next to Chris Noth (‘Sex in the City’), his co-star in the upcoming Geffen Playhouse production of ‘Farragut North.’ Apparently the ‘Farragut’ cast likes to hang out together on off days because Isiah Whitlock and Olivia Thirlby also were there. (Culture Monster will let you know whether Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles return the favor at the ‘Farragut’ opening later this month.) ‘Oleanna’ director Doug Hughes happens to be staging ‘Farragut North’ so we expect to see him again in Westwood at the Geffen.

Of course the ‘Farragut’ cast is only so big, allowing for some non-’Farragut’ actors at the ‘Oleanna’ premiere: Virginia Madsen, Julian Sands, Gaby Hoffmann, Ricky Jay and others. And Mamet himself was on hand. See who was on the red carpet and at the after-party.

And come back to Culture Monster on Sunday for theater critic Charles McNulty’s review.

-- Lisa Fung

Chris Pine

Chris Noth

Virginia Madsen

Jennifer Grey (‘Dirty Dancing’) and husband Clark Gregg (‘The New Adventures of Old Christine’)

Rose McGowan

Isiah Whitlock

Robert Loggia

Christian Campbell

Jai Rodriguez

Bill Pullman and Julian Sands

Producer Jeff Finn, Julia Stiles and director Doug Hughes

‘Oleanna’ stars Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles with playwright David Mamet

Top photo: Julia Stiles and Bill Pullman in ‘Oleanna’ at the Mark Taper Forum. Credit: Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times

All other photos: Ryan Miller / Capture Imaging