‘Are You Now or Have You Ever Been’ revival to play off Broadway this summer

The 1972 docudrama returns to NYC, directed by Anna D. Shapiro and playing at New York City Center starting in June.

Summary

• An Off-Broadway revival of Are You Now or Have You Ever Been will start performances June 2 at New York City Center
• Eric Bentley’s play is assembled from transcripts of HUAC hearings from the 1940s
• Anna D. Shapiro directs the 2026 revival of the docudrama
• The play will feature a rotating cast of actors to be announced

A new Off-Broadway revival of Eric Bentley’s play Are You Now or Have You Ever Been on Broadway will have a limited 15-week run in summer 2026, playing at New York City Center from June 2.

Are You Now is a docudrama assembled from transcripts of the House Un-American Activities Committee in the 1940s, when various showbiz figures across film, theatre, radio, and music were called to expose suspected communists in the industry and confirm their loyalty to America. The show adapts the testimonies of Arthur Miller, Jerome Robbins, Paul Robeson, Elia Kazan, Lillian Hellman, Abe Burrows, Lionel Stander, and many more who had to make impossible choices to defend their integrity, save their careers, or betray their peers.

Bentley is known for his archival and historical plays, earning a 2006 Obie Award for Lifetime Achievement for his body of work. Anna D. Shapiro directs the revival of his Are You Now, which previously ran on and off Broadway in the 1970s. The 2026 creative team also includes set designer Andrew Boyce, costume designer Johanna Pan, lighting designer Donald Holder, sound designer Milbo Music, and projection designer Brittany Bland.

“I first encountered Are You Now or Have You Ever Been when I directed it at my small theatre in Chicago during college,” said Shapiro in a statement. “It was such a great experience then — filled with intensity and terror — and I’m so ready to wrestle with it again, now, a time of more threat to our freedoms than I’ve experienced in my lifetime. With this incredible rotating company, it’s sure to be a thrilling — and scary — experience.”

Are You Now will feature a rotating cast of actors to be announced.

Check back for information on Are You Now or Have You Ever Been tickets on New York Theatre Guide.