“Party on, dudes!” Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure stars Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are reuniting — this time on Broadway. The celebrated duo is set to headline a new revival of Samuel Beckett’s classic Waiting for Godot, directed by Tony and Olivier Award winner Jamie Lloyd. The play follows two companions, Vladimir and Estragon, as they wait for the mysterious Godot. Entertainment journalist Frank DiLella of Spectrum News NY1 recently caught up with Reeves and Winter during rehearsals to talk about sharing this big Broadway moment, Lloyd’s bold interpretation, and why Waiting for Godot remains one of the greatest plays of all time.
Keanu, this is your Broadway debut. Is it a bucket list moment for you?
KEANU REEVES: Broadway has been a dream since I was a kid. I feel grateful to have this opportunity, and it makes it super special that I get to do this with Alex.
When you think of Broadway, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?
KR: When I think about Broadway, I had this one run of seeing shows. I saw Agnes of God, Torch Song Trilogy, and Bent — and those three plays and that experience is indelible and very inspiring.
Alex, you’re no stranger to Broadway. You performed as a kid in The King and I and in Peter Pan in the late ’70s/early ’80s. How has it been, preparing for Broadway once more all these years later
ALEX WINTER: I’m excited. It’s an incredible play. I love Samuel Beckett. To be able to do it with someone who is a close friend and someone who I have performed with for so many years — there’s a comfort to that. There’s a sweetness to that, going back to the theater and getting to do it with someone who I enjoy working with. And these two characters are so intertwined. Also, to be working with Jamie Lloyd. The caliber of the production is also gratifying.
You both join an incredible list of artists who have played the roles of Estragon and Vladimir — most recently on Broadway, Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart — but let’s not forget Nathan Lane and Bill Irwin, Robin Williams and Steve Martin… Was this a dream project?
KR: Yes. When I read the play in my late teens, it just stayed with me.
Jamie Lloyd is known for cracking open classic shows; we saw that with Sunset Blvd., Evita, Cyrano, A Doll’s House, and Much Ado About Nothing. What is he doing with Waiting for Godot?
AW: We’re performing the whole show out on the front stoop of the theatre. Is that a giveaway? [Laughs.]
KR: I don’t think so. [Laughs.] We don’t want to give away too much — but there is a perspective that is grounded. For me, when I speak about it, it feels like Waiting for Godot is a new play. I’ve seen multiple productions, so has Alex, so our version feels really exciting.
This play has been around for decades; some even say it’s the greatest play ever written. Why is that?
AW: At its root it’s incredibly well written. Keanu and I will look at each other sometimes after reading the dialogue — it’s a bottomless well of riches. You keep finding new things all the time. And they have meaning and have emotion and are timely. And then there’s the musicality of the language. It’s just a well written play. It’s not easy, but it’s really rich.
KR: I concur. There’s something universal about its ambition, to connect with the human experience and our hopes and dreams. How and why do we exist? What the fuck is going on? And how the fuck do we get through it?
As a duo, the world knows you as Bill and Ted. Talk about your collaboration: Is there a shorthand that kicks in after all these years of working together?
AW: We’ve known each other for a long time. We’ve performed together several times over the years. I think there’s been an affinity in terms of our process from the beginning, and I think what we connected on when we first met on the Bill and Ted auditions, we’re both East Coast actors who had similar interests in theater and literature. I think that’s how we became friends. We had things in common. That helps when we’re working because there’s an unspoken affinity. It’s like playing in a band with someone who you connect with; we fall into our rhythms naturally. And that’s why when Keanu suggested doing this play — it’s a challenging play — that’s why it felt doable. Because I know our process.
The fall theater season is about to heat up on Broadway. What are you looking forward to the most with being a part of the 2025–2026 Broadway season?
KR: Doing Waiting for Godot on Broadway. To play Estragon to Alex’s Vladimir. New York in the fall, doing Broadway, directed by Jamie Lloyd! Are you kidding me?!
AW: It’s a killer season. Just looking at what’s coming and what played last season. Broadway is thriving right now. Being able to act in a play with a close friend and other actors I admire and a director I admire. But also to do live theater at a challenging time, to have a connection to an audience that’s direct — there’s a reason why we all commune together. It’s exciting.
