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The saga of Gwyneth Paltrow’s ski trial is now an off-Broadway musical
By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Jan 22, 2025
Modified Jan 27, 2025
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By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Jan 22, 2025
Modified Jan 27, 2025
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Gwyneth Paltrow's much-memed 2023 trial in Park City, Utah, is now the subject of an off-Broadway musical.
"Gwyneth Goes Skiing" is on at the SoHo Playhouse through this Sunday. It debuted in London in December 2023 and sold-out shows there and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August before coming stateside this year.
The show created and performed by British comedians Linus Karp and Joseph Martin tells the story of retired optometrist Terry Sanderson’s litigious run-in with the “Shakespeare In Love” actress while skiing in Park City, Utah, in 2016.
For those who don’t recall the timeline of events that followed the pair’s slopeside collision: Sanderson sought $300,000 from the Goop founder for causing him “permanent traumatic brain injury, four broken ribs, pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress and disfigurement.” Paltrow countersued for $1 and legal fees, claiming he’d been the one to run into her and cost her “half a day of skiing.”
Joseph Martin, left, plays Terry Sanderson and and Linus Karp plays Gwyneth Paltrow.
The trial was a global spectacle, with outlets across the world covering Paltrow’s array of quiet luxury outfits.
The jury sided “100%” with Paltrow, but “Gwyneth Goes Skiing” offers audience members an opportunity to weigh in on who they think is at fault.
“We have two different endings of our show, so the audience are the jury and they get to vote for who they believe is the guilty party,” Karp explained in a phone interview. “They can change history if they want.”
The show — which has original music by Leland of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and vocals by Darren Criss and Cat Cohen — has already had a run in Park City, Utah, where the audience often included people involved in the real trial, including witnesses, expert witnesses and jurors, according to Martin.
Even members of Paltrow’s legal team attended.
“When I heard that her lawyers were going to come, I was a bit scared because I thought, you know, who knows how they will take it,” said Karp. But, he said, “they were just like the most friendly, nice people, and they had a really good time.”
"Gwyneth Goes Skiing" is on now at the SoHo Playhouse after successful runs in London, Edinburgh Fringe and Park City, Utah.
One of Sanderson’s lawyers, who is represented in the show by a puppet, also took in a performance. She was also entertained, they said.
“I think the only people left involved in the case that haven't seen it are Gwyneth and Terry,” Martin added.
The stars say they can’t recommend Sanderson see the show, particularly because one of the retired optometrist’s friends told them he would not be encouraging it.
Paltrow, however, is welcome any night, and they think she’d enjoy it.
“It’s a very pro-her show,” said Martin.
While it's hard to top the turnout they enjoyed in Utah, Karp and Martin say New York has been great to them so far.
"Our demographic for our shows is typically young, queer people who've done too much time online and I think a lot of those are in New York, but also, I'm not saying anywhere else doesn't understand theatre, just to be very clear," Martin said. "But New Yorkers clearly get theatre, they want to go and have a fun night out, and they want to laugh and be queer and be loud and be silly."
And "Gwyneth Goes Skiing," is, he said, "the most stupid queer night out."
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theater
Hannah Frishberg
Hannah Frishberg covers New York City arts and culture. Got a tip? Email Hannah at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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