Variety reports that the one-man show will have played 21 previews and 149 regular performances. Originally scheduled for a 16-week engagement, 700 Sundays began previews Nov. 12, 2004, officially opening Dec. 5. In January 2005, Crystal announced he would add 55 additional performances, bringing the closing date to May 21. One additional performance has been added, and the show will now close on a Sunday, May 22.
The production, which offers premium tickets priced up to $251.25, will have had a cumulative gross of over $21 million. 700 Sundays has often pulled in more than $700,000 a week, breaking box-office records at the Broadhurst.
700 Sundays is billed as two-act play that "deals with [Crystal's] youth, growing up in the jazz world of Manhattan, his teenage years, and finally adulthood." The title refers to the number of days Crystal got to spend with his busy-with-jobs father who died when young Billy was only 15.
It was also recently announced that the work will be translated into a book form, inspired by the stagework, by Warner Books. The published "700 Sundays" is slated for November 2005.
Tony Award winner Des McAnuff (Big River, The Who's Tommy) directs the solo work, which features additional content by Alan Zweibel and was built upon material Crystal used in his live benefit performances of An Evening with Billy Crystal and His Special Guest David Steinberg in 2003. Crystal, who hosted the Academy Awards for the eighth time in 2004, has recently appeared in "Analyze That," the sequel to "Analyze This." Other films credits include "Running Scared," "City Slickers," "Throw Momma From The Train," "The Princess Bride," "When Harry Met Sally," "Mr. Saturday Night" and "America's Sweethearts." He also provided the voice of Mike in the animated "Monsters Inc." Crystal also received plaudits for his directorial work on the HBO film "61*" which he also executive produced.
Janice Crystal (the star's wife) and Larry Magid produce the Broadway run of the work, which was developed at La Jolla Playhouse, where McAnuff is artistic director.
700 Sundays performs at the Broadhurst Theatre, located at 235 West 44 Street.
