LITTLE BEAR RIDGE ROAD Previews

This still doesn't look to be selling great...

I'm sure there are people avoiding this because they don't want to support a Rudin enterprise, but I highly doubt that's why ticket sales have been light so far. Hunter might be a revered contemporary playwright among people who follow theater, but he's not largely known among the general public. (The film adaptation of THE WHALE was a flop despite its Oscar win for Brendan Fraser.) Similarly, Metcalf is not a name that is going to prime the pump on her own, and the rest of the cast are not household names. I imagine this will be a succès d'estime at best.

AC126748 said: "I'm sure there are people avoiding this because they don't want to support a Rudin enterprise, but I highly doubt that's why ticket sales have been light so far. Hunter might be a revered contemporary playwright among people who follow theater, but he's not largely known among the general public. (The film adaptation of THE WHALE was a flop despite its Oscar win for Brendan Fraser.) Similarly, Metcalf is not a name that is going to prime the pump on her own, and the rest of the cast are not household names. I imagine this will be a succès d'estime at best."

Most people outside of those savvy about who produces a show couldn’t really care less about Rudin being a producer. Even then, loathsome as he may be, he has the money to bring new works and starry revivals to Broadway more or less at his pleasure. To bring Hunter to the mainstream Broadway audience may help boost his profile as a playwright, especially if it gets recognized for major awards.

THE WHALE was an independent film with a very particular subject matter that could make theatregoers uncomfortable and Hunter doesn’t seem like a playwright who is afraid to challenge his audience. It was never going to be an “Avengers: Endgame” kind of film. 

The box office for this play opened on the same day as Chess and Liberation. I think it was a missed opportunity and straight up a mistake not to sell cheap introductory tickets to get WOM out. 

blug said: "I just think it's hilarious that roondawg_firstofhisname from IG is one of the understudies. They should put him on the poster!"

He was Micah Stock’s understudy at Steppenwolf, but not on Broadway. The understudy for Broadway is Aubie Merrylees.

blug said: "They should STILL put him on the poster.

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I mean, I can’t argue with that.

Looking forward to hearing about tonight.

Telecharge says 95 minutes, no intermission. 

Bows started at 9:37/9:38, so that running time is accurate.

I've been eagerly checking TDF for more dates. The first handful were snatched up in a few hours. I'm hoping to find a Wednesday matinee preview. This is on my list of unmissables this season. 

Update, Wednesday afternoon: Just got seats for this weekend. All four performances are on TDF.

Updated On: 10/8/25 at 08:06 AM

Can anyone who has been to the Broadway previews comment on the set design? Simple is one thing, but the transition to the bar scene by using the back of the sofa as a bar-rail in the Chicago production just looked cheap to me. I mean, there could have at least been a telescoped neon beer sign or something. Has that been jazzed up at all?

Also, is the final scene still staged with only Laurie Metcalf's arm visible? It didn't fully land for me, and I wondered if they had tweaked it in the interim.

Now I want to re visit this as I don't even remember the finale scene. 

I do remember loving how they used the back wall for one scene. It's a tiny little show, and I. usually want a big set, but I think this all just works wonderfully. 

I saw it this afternoon as well, thanks to TDF listing it again at some point yesterday.  The performances, particularly Metcalf's, are excellent, but I didn't care very much for the play overall.  I found the lead character of Ethan more annoying than compelling, despite Stock's best efforts.

A disappointment.