Act One (play)

Act One is a play written by James Lapine, based on Moss Hart's autobiography of the same title. The play premiered on Broadway in 2014.

Production

Act One premiered on Broadway at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in Lincoln Center on March 20, 2014 (previews), officially on April 17, 2014. Directed by James Lapine, the cast features Santino Fontana, Tony Shalhoub (as George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart) and Andrea Martin.[1] Martin plays three women in Moss Hart's life; Shalhoub also plays three roles: as the older Hart, Moss’s father, and George S. Kaufman.[2] The play closed on June 15, 2014 after 67 performances and 31 previews. It was filmed to be shown on the PBS television program "Live from Lincoln Center."[3]

The play had a reading on Martha's Vineyard in July 2012, with Tony Shalhoub, Debra Monk, Chuck Cooper and David Turner. The play was developed at the Vineyard Arts Project.[4]

Overview

The play is an adaption of Moss Hart's autobiography Act One.[5] The play traces Moss Hart's life from being poor in The Bronx to becoming famous and successful as a Broadway writer and director.

Critical reception

Ben Brantley, in his review for The New York Times, wrote "whatever its flaws, 'Act One,'... brims contagiously with the ineffable, irrational and irrefutable passion for that endangered religion called the Theater."[2]

Awards and nominations

The play received four 2014 nominations for the Outer Critics Circle Award: Outstanding New Broadway Play, Outstanding Set Design (Play or Musical) (Beowulf Boritt), Outstanding Actor In A Play (Tony Shalhoub), and Outstanding Featured Actress In A Play (Andrea Martin).[6] Andrea Martin won the award, in a tie with Mare Winningham, of Casa Valentina.[7]

Tony Shalhoub was nominated for a 2014 Drama League Award, Distinguished Performance Award.[8]

Act One received five 2014 Tony Award nominations: Best Play, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play (Tony Shalhoub), Best Scenic Design of a Play (Beowulf Boritt), Best Costume Design of a Play (Jane Greenwood) and Best Sound Design of a Play (Dan Moses Schreier).[9] Beowulf Boritt won the Tony Award for Best Scenic Design of a Play.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Hetrick, Adam and Gioia, Michael. Act One, Stage Adaptation of Moss Hart's Theatrical Memoir, Opens on Broadway April 17" playbill.com, April 17, 2014
  2. 1 2 Brantley, Ben. "Several Moss Harts Are in 'Act One,' at Lincoln Center" The New York Times, April 17, 2014 (in print April 18, 2014, p. C1)
  3. ↑ Hetrick, Adam. "Curtain Comes Down on Broadway Stage Adaptation of Moss Hart's Theatrical Memoir 'Act One'" playbill.com, June 15, 2014
  4. ↑ Hetrick, Adam. "Moss Hart's 'Act One', Adapted by James Lapine, Gets Starry Reading With Debra Monk and Tony Shalhoub" playbill.com, July 21, 2012
  5. ↑ Act One Drama Book Store, accessed April 23, 2014
  6. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "64th Annual Outer Critics Circle Awards Nominations Announced; A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder Leads the Pack" playbill.com, April 22, 2014
  7. ↑ Gans, Andrew. 64th Annual Outer Critics Circle Award Winners Announced; 'Gentleman's Guide' Wins Four Awards" playbill.com, May 12, 2014
  8. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "'All the Way', 'Mothers and Sons', 'After Midnight', 'Fun Home', 'Aladdin', 'Beautiful', 'Glass Menagerie', 'Lady Day' and More Are Drama League Nominees" playbill.com, April 23, 2014
  9. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "68th Annual Tony Awards Nominations Announced; 'Gentleman's Guide' Leads the Pack" playbill.com, April 29, 2014
  10. ↑ Staff. "Just the Winners, Please: Who Won the 68th Annual Tony Awards" playbill.com, June 8, 2014

External links

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