Tony Roberts "Feeling Great," Hopes to Return to Royal Family

By Kenneth Jones
06 Oct 2009

Tony Award-nominated actor Tony Roberts, who took ill during the Oct. 4 matinee of Broadway's The Royal Family, is "feeling great," his daughter Nicole said in an Oct. 6 statement.

Roberts' understudy Anthony Newfield will continue in the role of Oscar Wolfe on Oct. 6 and beyond until a return date for Roberts can be determined. Newfield stepped into the part on Sunday evening, Oct. 4 after Roberts had a small seizure on stage at the Sunday matinee at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.

Roberts' daughter stated Tuesday, "My father is feeling great and looks forward to returning to the show. He experienced a minor seizure and regrets that it had to happen so publicly. He is taking medication now which should prevent any further incidents. He is grateful for the impeccable and thorough care he received at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital, and feels especially thankful for all the good wishes that have come flooding in since Sunday afternoon."

Playbill.com received confirmation that Roberts has been released from the hospital.

The Royal Family, Edna Ferber and George S. Kaufman's comedy about a Barrymore-like theatre family, will open as scheduled on Oct. 8.

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Manhattan Theatre Club artistic director Lynne Meadow and executive producer Barry Grove, said in a Monday statement, "We hope for Tony Roberts' quick and complete recovery. …We are awaiting further reports from his family. Tony is beloved to us at MTC, to The Royal Family and to his enormous fan base everywhere."

In The Royal Family, Roberts plays Oscar Wolfe, the longtime manager of a famous acting family.

Roberts was taken to St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital, and the Sunday matinee (a "press preview" attended by media and industry folk) was canceled.

Roberts received Tony Award nominations for his performances in Play It Again Sam and How Now, Dow Jones. His other theatrical credits include Xanadu, Victor/Victoria, Barefoot in the Park, Don't Drink the Water, Sugar, Absurd Person Singular, Arsenic and Old Lace, They're Playing Our Song, Jerome Robbins' Broadway and The Sisters Rosensweig. He won the London's Critics Poll Award for his performance in the West End mounting of Promises, Promises, and his many screen credits include "Annie Hall," "Play It Again, Sam" and "Serpico."

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According to MTC, "Follow a famous family of stage stars as they go about the drama of the day: choosing scripts, dashing off to performances, stealing kisses from handsome beaus. But what’s this business about the youngest diva wanting to quit the stage for domestic bliss? Never, darling!"

The Royal Family continues to Nov. 29. Tony Award winner Doug Hughes (Doubt, Mauritius) directs a cast that includes Tony Award winner Rosemary Harris as Fanny Cavendish, the actress-matriarch of an American acting family in the 1920s classic. Jan Maxwell plays Fanny's daughter, Julie Cavendish, with Reg Rogers as Julie's brother, Tony.

For tickets, visit www.Telecharge.com; call (212) 239-6200 or (800) 432-7250 or go to Friedman Theatre box office (261 W. 47th Street, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue).

Visit www.ManhattanTheatreClub.com.