Richard Schiff, the Emmy-winning actor best known for his role as Toby Ziegler on The West Wing and most recently as Dr. Aaron Glassman on The Good Doctor, is returning to his theatrical beginnings with a powerful new performance in Becoming Eve. The project not only marks a welcome return to his New York stage roots but also offers audiences a chance to see Schiff embrace a role that is both timely and transformative.
For decades, Schiff has built a career defined by complexity and depth. Whether as the sharp-tongued communications director on The West Wing or the compassionate yet conflicted mentor in The Good Doctor, his work has always resonated with emotional honesty. But Schiff’s love for theater has remained at the heart of his craft. Before television brought him international acclaim, the actor cut his teeth in the vibrant New York theater scene of the 1980s and 1990s, performing in small, daring productions that shaped his approach to character and story.
Now, in Becoming Eve, Schiff finds himself back where it all began. The play, which tackles themes of identity, resilience, and transformation, offers him a chance to reconnect with live audiences in ways television cannot replicate. In interviews, Schiff has spoken candidly about the challenge of returning to the stage after years in front of the camera. “There’s nothing quite like theater,” he explained. “You feel the audience breathing with you. It’s terrifying and exhilarating in equal measure.”
Schiff’s role in Becoming Eve is one that requires profound empathy and emotional range. The story centers on a family navigating generational change and personal revelation, with Schiff portraying a character caught between tradition and transformation. For the actor, the opportunity to explore such layered material is both daunting and invigorating. “I’ve always been drawn to roles that ask uncomfortable questions,” he said. “This play doesn’t shy away from them—it embraces them.”
Beyond the artistic challenge, Schiff’s return to theater also feels like a homecoming. After years of working on soundstages in Los Angeles and Vancouver, the actor has welcomed the chance to be back in New York, reconnecting with the energy of the city’s theater community. “New York theater shaped me,” he reflected. “It taught me discipline, humility, and the importance of collaboration. Coming back feels like reconnecting with an old friend.”
The timing of Schiff’s return is also significant. With The Good Doctor recently wrapping its seven-season run, the actor is entering a new chapter of his career. While he has expressed gratitude for the stability the show provided, Schiff has also hinted that he is eager to pursue projects that stretch him in unexpected ways. Theater, with its immediacy and intimacy, provides just that opportunity.
Becoming Eve has already begun generating buzz in New York theater circles, not only for its daring subject matter but also for the promise of Schiff’s performance. Critics and fans alike are eager to see how the actor, whose work has long balanced intellect with vulnerability, will inhabit this new role.
For Schiff, the project is more than just another credit on his résumé. It’s a return to his roots, a recommitment to the art form that first inspired him, and a reminder of why live theater remains so essential. “At the end of the day,” he said, “it’s about telling stories that move people. That’s why I started, and that’s why I keep going.”
