Richard Schiff, best known for his Emmy-winning role as Toby Ziegler on The West Wing and his recent work on The Good Doctor, is making a triumphant return to his theatrical roots with Becoming Eve. The celebrated actor, who has built a career on nuanced and powerful performances, is stepping back onto the New York stage, a place that has always felt like home to him.
For Schiff, theater was his first love. Before becoming a household name in television and film, he spent years honing his craft in the world of live performance. “There’s something magical about the stage,” Schiff reflects. “You can’t replicate the immediacy, the energy, and the connection with the audience.” While Hollywood gave him opportunities to bring complex characters to life, it’s the unpredictability and rawness of live theater that has always drawn him back.
His latest project, Becoming Eve, is a bold and thought-provoking play that explores themes of identity, transformation, and human resilience. Schiff’s role is one that demands depth, emotional range, and a profound connection with the material—something he has consistently delivered throughout his career. “Theater challenges you in a way that film and television don’t,” he explains. “You have to be fully present every night, every performance. There are no second takes.”
Returning to New York for this production is particularly meaningful for Schiff. The city’s theater scene is where he first discovered his passion for acting, performing in small, intimate productions before making his way to the national stage. Walking the streets of Broadway again feels like a homecoming. “New York theater has a pulse, a rhythm that’s unlike anywhere else,” he says. “There’s an authenticity here, a respect for the craft, and a deep love for storytelling.”
Schiff’s return to the stage is not just about revisiting the past; it’s about embracing the present and the future of storytelling. With Becoming Eve, he is diving into a character and a narrative that resonates with the complexities of the modern world. Fans of his work—both on-screen and on stage—will no doubt be eager to see him bring his signature intensity and intelligence to this new role.
