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96-Year-Old Actress Makes Broadway History
2 Dec, 2025
Summary
- At 96, June Squibb is the oldest performer to open a Broadway show.
- The play, 'Marjorie Prime,' explores dementia and holographic companions.
- Squibb's career began on Broadway in 1959 with Ethel Merman.
At 96, June Squibb has officially become the oldest performer to open a Broadway production, starring in Second Stage Theater's "Marjorie Prime." The play, a science fiction drama by Jordan Harrison, examines a woman with dementia and her holographic companion programmed to resemble her late husband.
This historic achievement by Squibb, acclaimed for her role in "Nebraska," adds another remarkable chapter to her extensive career. She made her Broadway debut in 1959 alongside Ethel Merman in "Gypsy." The current production, directed by Anne Kauffman, also features Cynthia Nixon, Danny Burstein, and Christopher Lowell.
"Marjorie Prime" explores profound questions about memory, legacy, and mortality, sparking introspection among the cast. Squibb herself expressed a relaxed perspective on aging and death, emphasizing a philosophy of living fully in the present.
