A West Coast hit during its spring engagement at the Canon Theatre in Beverly Hills, and a hot ticket at various venues in New York State, the Renee Taylor and Joe Bologna autobiographical duet, If You Ever Leave Me...I’m Going With You!, will open at Broadway's Cort Theatre this summer. According to company manager Victoria Stevenson, previews are to begin July 17 for an opening Aug. 6. The latter date is especially meaningful, as it will be the twosome's 36th wedding anniversary.)
The previous Cort Theatre tenant, The Gathering, closes this Sunday, May 13. Tickets go on sale for If You Ever... June 4 via TeleCharge, (212) 239-6200.
Produced by Martin Melzer, Taylor, Bologna and Leonard Soloway, the show will be an open run, with a top ticket price of $65 (plus $1.25 service charge). Stevenson notes that the show, which has been touring extensively over the past two years, will have "changes in terms of the set and costumes; they're being upgraded to a Broadway show instead of a tour show." As such, designers signed on include Alvin Colt (costumes), Ken Billington (lighting) and Kenneth Foy (set).
Last fall, both Bologna and then-co-general manager Steven Levy confirmed that negotiations had begun in finding a theatre for the comedy, which covers the couple's romantic courtship, their first wedding reception on the Merv Griffin Show, their five marriage ceremonies, and the "near spouse-icides of the three decades of professional collaboration" (the latter phrase courtesy of a spokesperson at the Canon). The show, which employs film clips and stills to augment the live performances, also includes scenes from the couple's last duet, the Off Broadway hit, Bermuda Avenue Triangle, as well as It Had to Be You and their best-known pairing, Lovers and Other Strangers.
“The show has developed more and more, to better and better response,” said Levy at the time (he's now in London and no longer with the project), “regardless of house size and configuration of theatre. These people are known from TV, film, Broadway, and there’s a tremendous audience for their comedy... Broadway has such greater exposure than when you’re tucked away in an Off Broadway theatre. That’s why they’re taking the plunge.” Taylor and Bologna wrote, co-directed and star in the show, which was staged at a few regional theatres after having been briefly workshopped in L.A. two years ago. Venues have included the Helen Hayes Center in Nyack, NY as well as Queens Theatre in the Park and one-night gigs at Long Island's Westbury Music Fair.
