I had the pleasure of attending It's Only a Play on Broadway last Wednesday. I myself do not do many plays. I can actually name the ones I have seen pretty quickly: The Producers, Mammia Mia, The Odd Couple, Chaplin and It's Only a Play. I have a fondness for anything Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane are in, so when I heard about this opening, I had to get a ticket. This is not a sponsored review, I purchased my own ticket for the play. The whole cast is pretty amazing, kind of seems like out of a dream. I was pretty excited and even though no photos were allowed during the play, I shot some of the theater for you.
Good idea to list everyone alphabetically as how do you pick otherwise with this cast??
MATTHEW BRODERICK and NATHAN LANE lead an all-star cast, including F. MURRAY ABRAHAM, STOCKARD CHANNING, RUPERT GRINT, MEGAN MULLALLY and MICAH STOCK. This hilarious ensemble comes together in a comedy written by four-time Tony® winner TERRENCE McNALLY and directed by three-time Tony® winner JACK O’BRIEN—a celebration of theatre at its best…and theatre people behaving their not-so-best.
It’s opening night of Peter Austin’s (Matthew Broderick) new play as he anxiously awaits to see if his show is a hit. With his career on the line, he shares his big First Night with his “best” friend, a television star (Nathan Lane), his novice producer (Megan Mullally), his doped-up diva (Stockard Channing), his genius director (Rupert Grint), a lethal drama critic (F. Murray Abraham), and a fresh-off-the-bus coat check attendant (Micah Stock) on his first night in Manhattan.
It’s alternately raucous, ridiculous and tender—and proves that sometimes the biggest laughs happen offstage.
My bucket list has that I must sit in one of those balcony seats at least once in my lifetime. It has to be so cool sitting there, and how gorgeous is this theater?
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Designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp to resemble the neighboring Shubert and Booth theatres designed by Henry B. Herts, the building was constructed by the Shubert brothers in 1917-18, christened the Plymouth Theatre, and leased to producer Arthur Hopkins. He intended it to be a venue for legitimate plays starring notable actors like John and Lionel Barrymore. The premiere production was A Successful Calamity, a comedy with William Gillette and Estelle Winwood.
After Hopkins died in 1948, control of the theatre returned to the Shuberts, who still own the property, which was designated a New York landmark in 1987. The 1,080-seat house was renamed after Gerald Schoenfeld, chairman of the Shubert Organization, in 2005.
I kept looking up quite a bit, and the beauty of this place was just overwhelming. I don't think there is a bad seat in the house, I had a great one very close to the stage. I like to sit close for anything but a musical, so I can see the actors. The theater is not that huge, so you can see well from any area.
I am not a person to stand outside the theatre after a performance, but with all the great actors in this play, I gave it a shot. Unfortunately, the only actors who appeared were Rupert Grint and the newcomer above Micah Stock. Rupert signed for fans and took photos, but I couldn't get in to take a shot for you. Micah was very nice to everyone, and after taking some photos and autographs, just walked away from the theatre! Rupert had a car waiting for him, guess walking around Broadway would be hard since he is more known.
I thought the play was really very funny. The newcomer, Micah Stock had great comic delivery, and had the audience laughing regularly. I felt the character of Megan Mullally was very similar to her part on Will & Grace. Rupert Grint, making his Broadway debut, was really funny as the young troubled director, and a far cry from his Harry Potter character. Stockard Channing was good, it was fun to see her in person, she knows how to work the stage. F. Murray Abraham was my least favorite, I see he has an Oscar, but I didn't feel his character was really that important. Matthew Broderick was good as well, he is one of my most favorites, and it was fabulous seeing him onstage again. Nathan Lane stole the show! He was just so amazing, and he was on stage for almost the whole play. If you like comedy, and you are a fan of any of the actors in the play, I would be sure to see it. The play is running until January 4, 2015. You can click on the link below if you wish to obtain tickets, I do not receive any profit from the link, just wanted to make it easier for you if you wish to see what is available.
Today's Words of Wisdom: L.A., it's nice, but I think of sunshine and people on rollerblades eating sushi. New York, I think of nighttime, I think of Times Square and Broadway and nightlife and the city that never sleeps. - Jimmy Fallon
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