Secrets of the Trade, With Glover and Robbins, Closes Off-Broadway Sept. 4

By Adam Hetrick
04 Sep 2010

Noah Robbins and John Glover
Noah Robbins and John Glover
Photo by James Leynse

Jonathan Tolins' Secrets of the Trade, starring Tony Award winner John Glover and Noah Robbins, concludes its Off-Broadway run Sept. 4 at 59E59 Theaters.

Matt Shakman helms the Primary Stages production, which began previews July 27 and officially opened Aug. 10. Shakman also staged the 2008 world premiere at Los Angeles' Black Dahlia Theatre.

Tony Award winner Glover (Love! Valour! Compassion, "Smallville") and Robbins (Brighton Beach Memoirs) star in the work about a veteran stage actor and a young fan who longs to learn the ropes.

The cast also features Amy Aquino (Third, The Heidi Chronicles), Bill Brochtrup ("NYPD Blue," Theater District) and Mark Nelson ( A Few Good Men). Glover, Aquino and Brochtrup reprise their turns from the original Los Angeles run.

Here's how Primary Stages bills the play: "In show business, it’s all about who you know. Or is it? Andy Lipman, a smart, ambitious kid from Long Island dreams of a career on Broadway and hopes that his idol, theater legend Martin Kerner, can give it to him. Will Kerner open Andy’s door to success, or will their complicated relationship force him to question a life in the theater?"

The design team includes Mark Worthington (set), Alejo Vietti (costumes), Mike Durst (lights) and John Gromada (sound). The production stage manager is Sarah Caddell.

Playwright Tolins has also penned The Twilight of the Golds, The Last Sunday in June and If Memory Serves for the stage. He also co-wrote (and co-produced) the feature film "Martian Child."