Keith Carradine to Play Bush in L.A. Play

LOS ANGELES – Keith Carradine (search) as George W. Bush (search)?

Carradine, who appeared in such cult Robert Altman films as "Nashville" and "Thieves Like Us" as well as on Broadway in "The Will Rogers Follies," will portray the president in the American premiere of David Hare's (search) play about the lead-up to the American invasion of Iraq in 2003.

The drama, which will open June 5 at the Mark Taper Forum, also stars Julian Sands as British Prime Minister Tony Blair (search). Preview performances begin May 25.

"Stuff Happens" has its world premiere last September at London's National Theatre, where it opened to positive reviews.

The American production, directed by Gordon Davidson, will also feature Dakin Matthews as Vice President Dick Cheney, John Michael Higgins as Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, Tyrees Allen as former Secretary of State Colin Powell and Lorraine Toussaint as Condoleezza Rice.

Hare, who based the play on public documents as well as his own imagination, has written such dramas as "Plenty," "Racing Demon," "The Blue Room," "Amy's View" and "The Judas Kiss."

The title comes from a comment made in April 2003 by Rumsfeld in response to looting in Baghdad: "Stuff happens ... and it's untidy, and free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things."