By Robert Simonson
08 Sep 2009

Neil Simon and David Mamet
photo by Aubrey Reuben (Mamet)

The double feature is back in fashion this fall on Broadway.

For most mortals, the reality of having a single play on Broadway is enough to keep one on Cloud Nine. But Neil Simon and David Mamet can tell you, you simply haven't arrived unless you have two plays crowding the Rialto at the same time.

The more impressive of these double acts is arguably Simon's. Under the umbrella title of "The Neil Simon Plays," his autobiographical Brighton Beach Memoirs and Broadway Bound will be revived in repertory. (Missing from the original Brighton Beach Trilogy will be the army-set Biloxi Blues.) Noah Robbins and Josh Grisetti will play, at different ages, Simon's alter ego, Eugene Morris Jerome. Laurie Metcalf will be their stage mother. Director-of-the-moment David Cromer (The Adding Machine, Our Town) has been given the reins to the ambitious effort, which is produced by Simon's longtime advocate, Emanuel Azenberg. Previews begins at the Nederlander on Oct. 2, and then again on Nov. 18.

For Mamet, meanwhile, 2009-10 may seem like a replay of 2008-09. Last season, he saw both his American Buffalo and Speed-the-Plow revived. The first was quickly felled by unimpressed critics; the second was nearly done in by Jeremy Piven's love of brain food (that is, fish). Now, the playwright is back with one of his oldies-but-goodies, Oleanna (making its Broadway debut), and one newbie, Race. The plot of the latter has been kept under wraps, but it's a safe bet that it's not about Lance Armstrong and the Tour de France. James Spader, Kerry Washington, David Alan Grier and Richard Thomas star and Mssr. Mamet himself will direct. Previews begin Nov. 16 at the Barrymore.

Even back before Mamet became a Republican, he still didn't like political correctness much, as is amply illustrated in the professor-student duel at the center of Oleanna. William H. Macy and Rebecca Pidgeon (Mrs. Mamet) starred in the original Off-Broadway production, which was notorious for sending theatregoers out onto the sidewalk arguing with one another. On Broadway, Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles will go head to head, with the dependable Doug Hughes directing. Previews begin Sept. 29 at the Golden. Look for a lot of heated discussions on 45th Street.

	Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman; playwright Keith Huff (inset)
	photo by Greg Williams

Making his Broadway debut with A Steady Rain will be playwright Keith Huff. But, with all due respect to the writer, nobody will be talking about him. The media and audience focus of that production will be its two handsome, red-hot, movie-star leads, Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackson. The Brit and the Aussie will play two Chicago cops (Hello: dialect coach!), who are having a few bad days. John Crowley will direct. The paparazzi start gathering around the Schoenfeld Theatre on Sept. 10.

Also set in Chicago is Tracy Letts' new play, Superior Donuts, which begins previews at the Music Box (home of Letts' recent August: Osage County) on Sept. 16. Like August, it began life at the Steppenwolf Theater Company. The original cast has been retained, including Michael McKean, who plays Arthur Przybyszewski, owner of a decrepit donut shop which Franco Wicks, a black teenager who is his only employee, wants to change for the better. (No, Will Franco will not, à la Amy Morton in August, shout at some point "I'm running things now!") Continued...

View article on single page

Previous Page 1 | 2 Next Page