Cavenaugh, Bergl, Rapp in 2nd Stage's SOME AMERICANS ABROAD

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/3/08 at 1:04pm

Emily Bergl, Tom Cavanagh, John Cunningham, Fiona Dourif, Halley Feiffer, Enid Graham, Cristin Milioti, Pamela Payton-Wright, Anthony Rapp, Corey Stoll, and Todd Weeks will star in 2nd Stage Theatre's production of Richard Nelson's SOME AMERICANS ABROAD. Gordon Edelstein will direct.

Begins previews Thursday, June 26.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=28573

[Vespertine1228]

Posted: 6/3/08 at 3:35pm

Killer cast. Wish I were in town over the summer to see it.

What's with the runs at Second Stage getting shorter and shorter? I know they have to hire understudies after 6 weeks, but this thing is only running for 5 1/2 weeks. Good Boys and True only did 6. It makes it impossible to see anything there with all the subscribers.

I wish they would cut a show from their season to allow more time for their productions.

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 6/3/08 at 3:41pm

Wonderful cast!

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/3/08 at 3:53pm

That's a good question about duration - I suppose that they had the ability to extend GOOD BOYS if needed, and could push back SOME AMERICANS.

I recall eurydice playing for the entire summer last year.

[Vespertine1228]

Posted: 6/3/08 at 3:58pm

Eurydice did play all summer. And if I recall Little Dog Laughed extended a month because it was over Christmas and they weren't planning anything else.

But the schedule now just isn't built for any kind of extension. They couldn't do Next to Normal for more than a week. Good Boys could never have extended if they wanted to get Some Americans in on time.

I know if they have big people in the cast like with The Scene it's hard to do, but it seems like a lot of their stuff just kind of comes and goes. Show People, anyone? Crowns? Birdie Blue? Some Men? The list could go on.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 6/3/08 at 4:02pm

I seem to remember SOME MEN extending for a bit.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/3/08 at 4:07pm

I saw SHOW PEOPLE. Very cute, with a slight twist in the end. Great cast of Deb Monk, Judy Greer, Larry Pressman, and Ty Burrell.

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 6/25/08 at 5:38pm

Is anyone going to see this tonight?

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 6/25/08 at 5:43pm

Very excited about this cast.

Updated On: 6/25/08 at 05:43 PM

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/25/08 at 8:31pm

It seems weird for them not to have understudies. I mean, you never know what could happen.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 6/25/08 at 8:33pm

Understudies cost money.

If the run of a show is short enough, Equity doesn't require understudies to be hired.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 6/25/08 at 9:01pm

So that's why Tom Cavanaugh isn't doing Beyond Therapy at Williamstown and Bay Street anymore.

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 4:13am

Has anyone seen this yet

[AC126748]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 8:20am

I have tickets for July 14 and will report back.

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 12:58pm

I have tickets toward the end of the run. I'm excited because I've never seen anything at 2nd Stage before, and the plot sounds right up my alley. I will be running from the airport to catch the show though, so hopefully our plane comes in on time!

Speaking of which, what do people usually wear to a matinee at 2nd Stage? Since it's kinda off Broadway, I just wanted to make sure!

[lstbutifulgrl2]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 1:26pm

I saw it this past Saturday. I was extremely underwelmed. I don't know what I expected, but had difficulty following it. I may see it again later in the run to see what changes, if any, are made.

I did a student rush ticket and ended up sitting 5th row, so at least that was good.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 1:34pm

SAA is a very talky play that is quite poorly described in 2nd Stage's press release. They make it out to be about the students when, in reality, only 2 or 3 are featured. It's about the pretentious professors on a theater tour of London - one thinks he's about to be fired, another's accused of feeling up a student, etc.

Just wear anything you want to 2nd Stage - as long as it's not a bathing suit.

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 9:12pm

Thanks! Didn't know if it was any different since it isn't as "touristy"

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 11:23pm

As Yankeefan had mentioned, the play is nothing like the synopsis on the Second Stage site. The professors are pretentious and obnoxious.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 11:29pm

I saw it. I have some friends who don't really like the play, but I actually enjoyed it. My biggest complaint was that it felt too long (it's really not, it's about 2 hours and 20 minutes, but it feels like more) -- but I liked the story and the subject. I hadn't seen Tom Cavanagh while he was in Urinetown, but I was impressed by his performance in this.

[defyingravity11]

Posted: 7/2/08 at 12:07am

I saw it on Sunday. The cast tries to do their best, but the play has some serious problems. The speech about plays needing to convey something new was particularly ironic.