Full Breakdown
Max Wolf Friedlich Returns Off-Broadway with “The Holes”
7/29/2026, 1:35:06 PM
Premise and Themes
The new play, titled “The Holes,” is set in a decaying bar located in a rapidly gentrifying upstate city. The work is billed as a darkly comic exploration of contemporary tensions between shame and desire, tradition and progress, and community versus individualism.
Creative Team and Cast
Actor Robert Pattinson and producer Brighton McCloskey are serving as executive producers through their company Icki Eneo Arlo, marking the duo’s first theatrical venture. The play will be directed by Michael Herwitz, who previously collaborated with Friedlich on “Job.” The cast includes Bubba Weiler, Grantham Coleman, and Tina Benko. Design and production roles are filled by scenic designer Anna Grigo, lighting designer Evan C. Anderson, sound designer Brandon Bulls, costume designer Lily Cucinelli, creative director Stefan Kohli, and a host of other specialists such as marketing strategist Ian Tarbert and publicist Ava Tunnicliffe.
Friedlich’s Recent Broadway Breakthrough
Playwright Max Wolf Friedlich first gained wide attention with the psychological thriller “Job,” which debuted Off-Broadway in 2023 before transferring to Broadway’s Helen Hayes Theater in 2024. “Job” was noted for its anxiety-inducing premise—a psychologist evaluating a patient’s readiness to return to work after a forced leave—and earned praise for its blend of humor and quasi-sadistic tension.
Production Timeline and Run Length
Previews for “The Holes” are slated to begin in early September at The Wild Project in the East Village, followed by an opening night later that month. The production is scheduled to run for roughly six weeks, concluding in mid-October.
Potential Impact
By pairing Friedlich’s reputation for provocative, character-driven drama with Pattinson’s high-profile involvement, “The Holes” aims to attract both theater enthusiasts and a broader audience drawn by the star power behind the scenes. The play’s focus on gentrification and personal desire positions it as a timely commentary on the evolving cultural landscape of New York’s neighborhoods.
