Sean Hayes to Star in Off-Broadway Thriller ‘The Unknown’

Sean Hayes will return to the New York stage in an Off-Broadway production of The Unknown.

Written by David Calle, the one-man play is about a writer retreating to a remote cabin to cure his writer’s block, only to discover that he may not be alone and may be living within the thriller he’s writing. Leigh Silverman (Suffs, Violet) directs.

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The play is slated for a 10-week run at Studio Seaview Off-Broadway starting Jan. 31, 2026, with a Feb. 12 opening.

Hayes returns to the stage after his Tony Award-winning run in Good Night, Oscar, which Hayes also starred in during its recent West End engagement. The Will and Grace star first announced the show on his podcast SmartLess, which he co-hosts with Jason Bateman and Will Arnett.

Cale’s solo play, Harry Clarke, starring Billy Crudup, has run Off-Broadway in addition to a recent West End run. Other recent solo plays include Sandra, starring Marjan Neshat.

“David Cale is a masterful storyteller and I am thrilled to be embarking on our third collaboration with The Unknown. We are joined by the charismatic, dynamic Sean Hayes, an imaginative design team and visionary producers and I can’t wait to share this enthralling show with audiences,” Silverman said.

“I’m thrilled by the inspired pairing of the brilliant Sean Hayes with my solo thriller, and to be collaborating again with the great Leigh Silverman,” Cale said. The Unknown will feature scenic design by Studio Bent, costume design by Sarah Laux, lighting design by Cha See, sound design by Caroline Eng and music by Isobel Waller-Bridge.

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