Hugh Jackman returns to Broadway in "The River"

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A bona fide Hollywood box office star is making his return to Broadway.

Hugh Jackman returns to the stage in a very intimate show: "The River".

Jackman turned 46 over the weekend, but true to form he was working: rehearsing for his role in a play called "The River".

It's set in a fishing shack with just three characters, the production as small and intimate as some of his movies are big and bold.

He's one of the most famous stars in the world, a song and dance man equally at home as a superhero. So what's Hugh Jackman doing by "The River", with just a couple of other performers in one of the smallest theaters on Broadway?

"I think it fits the play. It is sort of new for me. Not since my drama school days where every space was small," Jackman said.

Jackman was just a couple of years out of drama school when he saw Al Pacino play "Hughie" at Circle in the Square two decades ago.

"He signed everybody's poster that went back. I was a massive, still am, massive fan, and from that day I always sign everybody's things," he said.

Now he is back at the exact same theater, this time as a star. But his fellow performers told me Jackman sure doesn't act like one.

("Any intimidation there?") "I think the great thing about Hugh is that he works so hard and puts you so at ease so quickly that you very quickly forget that whole part of him," said Cush Jumbo.

Jumbo plays the girlfriend of Jackman's character. His 'other woman' is played by Laura Donnelly.

"He just brought things as an actor to the audition that made me feel like I could be free and adventurous and really play with it. It's a really excitin' way to work," said Donnelly.

She was part of a production of "The River" that played for just a few weeks in London. The other two are new to the play.

"It's just going to become clear over the night that nothing is as it seems, and no one's going to know what's coming up. That's what I love, Sandy," Jackman said.

Another thing he loves is being able to see more of his kids when he's on Broadway. Jackman has a home here in the city and says when he gets home his daughter will be asleep, but there will still be time to say goodnight to his teenaged son.