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Broderick, who starred alongside Lane in Mel Brooks’ “The Producers” is scheduled to appear with him again this Autumn in Terrence McNally’s “It’s Only a Play”.
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Matthew Broderick, who along with this long term stage partner Nathan Lane played to packed houses on Broadway in the stage adaptation of Mel Brook’s classic comedy “ The producers ” is looking likely to be returning there this autumn once again in the company of Lane in Terrence McNally’s 1986 comedy entitled “It’s Only a Play”, once again about life in the theater.
With details still sketchy on the proposed production, the one thing that is certain is the that will be hoping for similar success to that of the producers which ran for six years and three days, after opening in April 2001, following 33 preview performances and 2, 502 regular performances all of them at the St. James Theatre on Broadway, picking up twelve Tony Awards during its record-breaking run with Broderick playing the part of Leo Bloom, the neurotic accountant dovetailing beautifully with Lane who starred as Max Bialystock, the manipulative producer.
What may possibly make “It’s Only a Play” so compelling is its similarities to “ The Producers.” This time around the story line is based around the opening night of a fictional Broadway musical “The Golden Egg”, with the story taking place at one of the producer’s houses, where the director, the show’s leading lady, the playwright ( played by Broderick), one of the show’s actors (played by Lane), as well as other cast members and sundry characters await the early press containing the show’s opening reviews. The principal difference between “It’s Only a Play” and “ The Producers, is that this time around the cast wants the show to succeed!
While no exact dates or venues for the new production have been announced as yet, and neither Lane or Broderick has reportedly signed a contract, veteran director Jack O’Brien and producer Tom Kirdahy, who also happens to McNally’s partner, are already in place.
In a recent interview Terence McNally revealed that he had been planning to bring “It’s Only a Play “ back to the stage for some time, but before he could do so it required a complete re-write. McNally went on to add that the production and direction team had even invited Broderick and Lane to take part in an informal reading which “went off like a speeding bullet.”
The original version of “It’s Only A Play” last featured on the New York stage way back in 1986 at the Manhattan Theater Club. ,
Matthew Broderick, best known to film lovers for playing the title part in the comedy classic “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” released way back in 1986 has enjoyed a remarkable career on Broadway, not only with “The Producers” but also starring in “The Odd Couple” , “Biloxi Blues” , “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” and “Brighton Beach Memoirs”.
Matthew’s most recent Broadway appearance was in “Nice Work If You Can Get It” which ran between March 2012 and June 2012 at the Imperial Theater.
Matthew Broderick has won two Tony Awards, one in 1983 for his featured role in the play Brighton Beach Memoirs, making him the youngest winner of the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play, a record which remains intact till this day.
Matthew was also a nominee for a Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical for his part in the The Producers, which ironically went to his co-star Nathan Lane.
Matthew Broderick has been married to another iconic New York figure, actress, Sarah Jessica Parker since 1997. The couple has three children.
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