The American Repertory Theater’s recent production of Eugène Ionesco’s 1959 absurdist play “Rhinoceros” is set to make its Broadway debut in April 2027, with a significant casting change announced. Paul Giamatti, who previously appeared in the lead ART production, will not be part of the New York cast. He will be replaced by Tony Shalhoub, a longtime ART collaborator and Tony Award winner.

The Roundabout Theatre Company, presenting the show in association with the American Repertory Theater, announced that Diane Paulus, ART’s artistic director and the original director of the Cambridge production, will also direct the Broadway staging. The production is scheduled to run from April 7 to June 13, 2027, at the Todd Haimes Theatre and will mark the first Broadway revival of “Rhinoceros” since its original 1961 premiere.

“Rhinoceros” explores themes of conformity and the rise of fascism through an absurdist narrative set in a small provincial French town where residents inexplicably begin transforming into rhinoceroses. The protagonist, Bérenger, an alcoholic who resists the metamorphosis, will be played by John Turturro, reprising his role from the ART staging.

Tatiana Maslany will return as Daisy, a gentle receptionist who moves toward a romantic relationship with Bérenger but ultimately succumbs to the allure of becoming a rhinoceros, drawn by the creatures’ perceived power. Shalhoub will take on the role of Jean, a cynical intellectual who mocks the growing hysteria surrounding the transformations before ultimately undergoing the change himself in a pivotal, dramatic scene.

No official explanation was provided for Giamatti’s departure from the production. The Broadway adaptation will use the American Repertory Theater’s version, which is based on Derek Prouse’s translation of the original French text.