Alec Baldwin plans to make his return to acting this season on Broadway.
A source exclusively told The Post that the actor, who has not performed since the tragic “Rust” shooting last year, will star in a revival of the play “Art” by Yasmina Reza.
The 64-year-old will be joined by heavy hitters Tony Shalhoub (“The Band’s Visit”) and John Leguizamo (“Latin History for Morons”), while Tony winner Matthew Warchus (“Matilda”), who staged the acclaimed comedy on the Great White Way in 1998, has signed on as director.
“Art” will likely open in the spring at a Shubert theater. (The production has been promised a house by the Shubert Organization.)
The Post has reached out to reps for Baldwin, Shalhoub, Leguizamo and Warchus for comment.
The show marks Baldwin’s first job since the fatal 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during filming of the indie movie “Rust” in New Mexico, which occurred while Baldwin was holding an on-set gun loaded with live ammunition that went off.
New Mexico’s Office of the Medical Investigator concluded this month that the shooting was an accident, and Baldwin claimed he did not pull the trigger. A conflicting FBI report, however, said the trigger must have been pulled by Baldwin. Prosecutors have not determined if charges should be filed.
News of the embattled Baldwin’s Broadway bid angered some on social media: “I will never be able to watch him as an actor again,” noted @Pipspiper2. “Alec Baldwin shouldn’t be close to any productions anymore,” added @Linkage4890.
In a highly unusual move for Broadway, “Art” has already secured its venue, stars and director even though it has no actual producer. The production, a source said, was put together by Creative Artists Agency, which is fulfilling producing duties for the moment. CAA is said to be “auditioning” New York producers.
The Post has reached out to CAA for comment.
Reza’s play, set in Paris and written in her native French, is an art-world satire that’s kicked off by a wealthy man buying a pricey white painting. The show, which starred Alfred Molina, Victor Garber and Alan Alda in New York, won the 1998 Tony Award for Best Play.
The last major play Baldwin appeared in on Broadway was “Orphans” in 2013. He was nominated for a 1992 Tony Award for playing Stanley in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” opposite Jessica Lange, John Goodman and Diane Lane.
Baldwin has had a difficult time returning to work since the shooting, he told CNN.
“I got fired from another job yesterday,” he said. “There I was all set to go to a movie, jump on a plane … I’ve been talking with these guys for months and they told me yesterday we don’t want to do the film with you because of this.”
He also said he’s been traumatized by Hutchins’ death, which occurred last October.
“That she died, that’s the worst thing of all. Somebody died, and it was avoidable. It was so unnecessary,” he added. “Every day of my life I think about that.”