The Romancing The Stone star is heading back to the New York stage to play the mother of a lesbian contemplating gender reassignment surgery in the world premiere of John S. Anastasi's Would You Still Love Me If...

Gerard was set to direct the production, but has since exited due to a family emergency and now Turner has decided to take on double duty.

It's not the only change in the production - R&B singer-turned-actress Deborah Cox, who had been cast to co-star as the play's surgeon, has also dropped out due to a scheduling conflict.

The show is still on track to begin previews at the New World Stages on 26 September (15).