In a major career move, Amber Heard makes her stage debut at the 2025 Williamstown Theatre Festival.
The production will headline the 2025 Williamstown Theatre Festival, now rebranded as W71, as one of its centrepiece offerings. Best known for her roles in Aquaman, Zombieland, and The Stand, Heard is now stepping onto the stage in a move that signals a major shift in her acting career.
Set in Massachusetts, the 79th edition of the long-running festival aims to breathe fresh life into summer stock theatre. Under the leadership of Harris and his Creative Collective, which includes Kaia Gerber, Alyssa Reeder, Alex Stoclet, and Christopher Rudd, the festival will present original works across genres. Harris said his vision is to bring community spirit back into theatre, taking cues from the success of music festivals.
Spirit of the People is directed by Katina Medina Mora and features a diverse ensemble cast including Brandon Flynn (13 Reasons Why), Lío Mehiel (Mutt), and Tony Award nominees Ato Blankson-Wood and James Cusati-Moyer. Additional cast members include Amandla Jahava, Emma Ramos, Julian Sanchez, Zachary Booth, and Tonatiuh.
The play explores themes around land, destruction, and cultural identity. Half of it is written in Spanish, a daring move for Harris, who admitted, “I don’t speak Spanish.” He also revealed that writing prose was a new experience for him: “I’m trying a lot of different things,” he told Variety. This willingness to experiment could signal a compelling new chapter in the playwright’s career.
At 38, Amber Heard’s inclusion in the cast marks not just a genre pivot, but potentially a reinvention. Theatre provides a raw, immediate medium for storytelling, and her performance will be watched closely by fans and critics alike.
The W71 lineup also includes a revival of Tennessee Williams’ Camino Real and Not About Nightingales, plus two new works, The Things Around Us, a solo musical by Ahamefule J. Oluo, and Many Happy Returns, a dance-theatre hybrid by Monica Bill Barnes and Robbie Saenz de Viteri.
Jeremy O. Harris is best known for Slave Play and the film Zola. With Spirit of the People, he’s pushing into uncharted territory. His leadership of W71’s new Creative Collective seems poised to shake up the traditional theatre landscape, emphasizing inclusivity, experimentation, and community.
As the 2025 summer season approaches, Spirit of the People and Amber Heard’s theatrical debut are already generating buzz. Whether you’re a fan of her screen work or curious about Harris’ next big move, this production is one to watch.
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