Dan’s Papers August 5, 2011 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
danshamptons.com Page 105
Bay Street Will Have You Rolling in the Aisle
Photo by Barry Gordin
By Sharon McKee If you’re looking to pump up your summer laughter quotient, don’t miss Enter Laughing, The Musical at the Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor. It’s the third Mainstage show of Bay Street’s 20th season and it runs from August 9 to September 4. This hilarious Broadway-bound production was written by the legendary Joseph Stein (Fiddler on the Roof, Zorba), with music and lyrics by Stan Daniels (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show,� “Taxi�). It is based on a semi-autobiographical novel by 12-time Emmy Award-winner Carl Reiner (Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen). Enter Laughing, The Musical features a cast of Broadway and television favorites including Jill Eikenberry (“L.A. Law,� Into The Woods), Josh Grisetti (Broadway Bound), Richard Kind (The Producers, “Spin City�), Kate Shindle (Wonderland) and Michael Tucker (“L.A. Law�). When the acclaimed production, featuring direction by Stuart Ross (Forever Plaid, Radiant Baby) and music direction by Phil Reno (Promises, Promises and The Drowsy Chaperone), played OffBroadway’s York Theatre in 2008, The New York Times raved: “Hilarious! Josh Grisetti delivers a smashing comedic performance with a gung-ho supporting cast, nutty songs and witty staging. It works so well.� Grisetti won the 2009 Theatre World
Award for his performance. The Daily News agreed: “I cannot remember when I have laughed as hard and as uncontrollably.â€? And the New York Post called it “The funniest tuner to hit town since The Producers‌.â€? After the Off-Broadway production returned to The York for a second limited engagement, producer Dan Whitten announced that he will bring the show to Broadway. The production plays at Bay Street Theatre before heading to the Great White Way. Stein first adapted Reiner’s novel for Broadway in 1964, when it starred Alan Arkin. He won both the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play and the Theatre World Award for his performance.
The musical adaptation was originally presented on Broadway in 1976 with the title So Long 174th Street, starring Robert Morse. Set in the 1930s, Enter Laughing, The Musical tells the story of hapless David Kolowitz, a young shop boy from the Bronx who dreams of being a leading man on stage while facing mounting pressures from his girlfriend, boss, best friend, acting coach and parents, all of whom are skeptical about his career plans, to say the least. Of this musical story of his life, Reiner has said: “I started laughing one minute after the curtain went up on Enter Laughing, The Musical, and continued laughing for hours after the curtain came down...I deeply appreciate the creative talent who succeeded in immortalizing my youth.� You will too. Go see it. You’ll exit laughing. Tickets for Enter Laughing, The Musical are available at the Bay Street Theatre Box Office, at 631725-9500 or at www.baystreet.org. Performances are Tuesday - Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m. with matinees Wednesdays at 2 p.m. (8/17, 8/24, 8/31) and Saturdays at 4 p.m. (8/20, 8/27). Tickets are $65 – $75. The first preview performance on 8/9 is “Pay What You Can,� which will be available at the Box Office after 2 p.m. More information can be found at www.EnterLaughingTheMusical.com.
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