Official: Billy Crystal's MR. SATURDAY NIGHT musical to begin Broadway previews March 1, 2022 at the Nederlander Theatre

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 10:07am

Performances begin at the Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street) on March 1, 2022 and the show officially opens on March 31, 2022. Tickets are currently on sale through September 4, but Crystal told the New York Times it will be an open-ended run. American Express presale begins Wednesday, November 10 at 10:00am (ET) at Ticketmaster.com.

The book for the stage musical is written by Billy Crystal, Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel. The score features music by three-time Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown (Parade, The Bridges of Madison County) and lyrics by Tony Award nominee Amanda Green (Hands on a Hardbody). Tony Award winner John Rando (Urinetown, On The Town) will direct. The production will feature choreography by Ellenore Scott (associate choreographer, Head Over Heels), scenic design by Scott Pask, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Kenneth Posner, video and projection design by Jeff Sugg, sound design by Kai Harada, and hair and wig design by Charles LaPointe, Music Direction by David O., and Orchestrations and arrangements by Jason Robert Brown.

Per the New York Times, the show will have an eight-person cast, and it will do seven performances per week. It's capitalized at $11 million.

Updated On: 11/10/21 at 10:07 AM

[ElephantLoveMedley]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 10:11am

The ticket prices on Ticketmaster right now are INSANE. $199.00 to sit in the back row of the mezzanine on a random weeknight? I'll pass.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 10:22am

As of right now for the presale, it looks like all mezz seats are $199...no doubt those prices will drop steeply if there isn't demand, though I suspect there will be significant demand in the first couple months of the run.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 10:23am

I'm guessing those prices are just for the Amex presale. Having every mezzanine seat priced at $199 is really odd, so I'm hoping for more tiered/reasonable pricing later.

Updated On: 11/22/21 at 10:23 AM

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 10:49am

$11 Million for an 8 person show?! Exactly how much is Billy getting for this show?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 10:56am

That pricing is insane. 

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 10:57am

Also JRB isn't doing lyrics?

Huh.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 10:59am

Amanda Green did the lyrics, didn’t she?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 11:07am

Yes, duh she did. It’s in the press release on the first post lol

[theaterdarling]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 11:09am

Saw this in its last performance at Barringston  Stage Company - held off posting negatively about it in another thread, but now that it is going to Broadway and they are asking for real, signicant dollars, FWIW my two cents:

Loved, loved, loved Crystal in the autobiographical "700 Sundays." He brings the same charm and pathos to his fictional alter ego, Buddy Young Jr., though clearly Buddy is much more of a d**k. "700 Sundays," as a show, was masterful, "Mr. Saturday Night" --the musical- not so much.

Did not see the movie (not only starring, but also directed by Crystal)--came to it somewhat fresh-- other than having some familiarity with the Buddy character from 80's SNL and remembering the film took a critical drubbing. The rise, then fall, then modest comeback of a narcissistic Borscht belt comedian (a milieu, I admit, I'm a sucker for) with its attendant toll on family and friends as dramatized here was presented rather obviously-but that is not its biggest sin. There were some good laughs-but too few. The mostly older audience was really responsive to the comedy. Other than losing focus at a few points (which can be fixed), the show's real downfall was the music. Music could have boosted a familiar rise and fall story with the cutting but charming Crystal at its core into the stratosphere. Instead, music was mediocre, bland, unmemorable, mostly repetitive in tempo and narrative content. Way too many lifeless  ballads unevenly offset, I think, by one swing-type tune and one barely discernible island-y calypso-lite type melody (sung by Graff). Not one impactful "I want" song but innumerable "I am long-suffering” songs all stemming from Buddy’s mistreatment of the character singing. I did not hear a lot of enthusiasm for the music beyond polite applause. Where I was sitting there was frequently no applause after a song ended. Yikes. The creatives were sitting behind me so hoping they noted same. Couldn’t help think of the advice Sondheim gave Miranda after Miranda shared with Sondheim early drafts of "Hamilton" songs: “Variety, variety, variety, Lin. Don’t let up for a second. Surprise us.”  No variety here and no surprises. Not a Broadway class score. Very disappointing.

Also, a recurring theme "if you just stick around things happen" (or something like that- don’t know if this was a line plucked from the movie) was also used to serve as an awkward all-purpose dramatic resolve. I think it was somewhat paralyzing creatively, to wit, it certainly did not provide the eleven o’clock number of one’s dreams.

Paymer also reprises his film role -- and chemistry with Crystal is nice (think Paymer got a few acting nods for the movie). They both have limited musical range. Paymer has no range - -he talk sings. This would be ok with a good score, but meh songs become all the more meh when sung by non-singers. Randy Graff is fine in a thankless long suffering wife role. Was impressed with Alysha Umphress (as Buddy's daughter) she has a real stage presence that helped transcend the neglected/resentful/angry daughter stuff she had to sell- don’t know if she will be in the Broadway run.

The retro Catskill-y flavor of it all, which some on another thread posit will spell success, I think, can only take the show so far- and that will  be, based on what I saw, not very. Might be akin to "Fish In The Dark," also a weak (tho non-musical) throwback. Crystal can fill seats and have a strong advance and return investor cash like “Fish” did due to David, but unless the music improves significantly, imho, I see no real long-term potential.  Billy (and audience) deserved better.

Updated On: 11/10/21 at 11:09 AM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 11:18am

everythingtaboo said: "$11 Million for an 8 person show?! Exactly how much is Billy getting for this show?"

Actor salaries are not a factor in the initial capitalization, that's part of the weekly running cost (which will no doubt be high...$700K+ a week). The capitalization covers building the physical production, tech, load-in, advance advertising, development costs, upfront fees to the creative team, sometimes the cast album, etc. And nobody works for cheap when a major star like Crystal is involved with a show that has a high gross potential.

$11M is modest for a new musical. Dear Evan Hansen cost $9.5M, Come From Away cost $12M, Hadestown cost $11.5M. We also don't know how long Billy's run is. It's currently on sale until September, maybe he plays through January or longer if he's having a good time...so that budget and cast size is strategic, and they would obviously hope to recoup during his run.

Updated On: 11/10/21 at 11:18 AM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 12:05pm

Welcome back to Broadway Billy Crystal and JRB! Can’t believe this is Crystal’s Broadway musical debut at 73 years old.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 12:30pm

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 12:39pm

The title treatment design and the tagline are great, but that artwork with the photos is AWFUL.

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 12:40pm

Happy to see Randy Graff back onstage! I haven't gotten to see her live since that Fiddler revival. Always loved her voice and persona.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 12:45pm

How wonderful! Billy Crystal is such a gem. 

[blaxx]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 1:14pm

BCfitasafiddle said: "Happy to see Randy Graff back onstage! I haven't gotten to see her live since that Fiddler revival. Always loved her voice and persona."

Much more excited for her than for Crystal. Disappointed to hear she has such a minor part.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 2:23pm

I'm guessing only doing 7 performances a week is at the request of Billy Crystal. These ticket prices might top Hamilton and Music Man.

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 2:55pm

respectfully, who is this show meant for?

 

Updated On: 11/10/21 at 02:55 PM

[JSquared2]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 2:56pm

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "respectfully, who is this show ment for?

Probably "meant" for the people who want to buy tickets??

 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 2:57pm

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "respectfully, who is this show ment for?"

People who want to see it, I’m guessing. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 3:03pm

respectfully, who is this show ment for?

1. People who can spell meant correctly.
2. People who want to see it.
3. Why would you possibly care? Mind yo' business. 

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 3:46pm

y'all should really take it down a notch

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 3:57pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "The title treatment design and the tagline are great, but that artwork with the photos is AWFUL."

Maybe it's just the image quality but I think someone did a great job magically erasing every wrinkle. 

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 11/10/21 at 4:26pm

blaxx said: "BCfitasafiddle said: "Happy to see Randy Graff back onstage! I haven't gotten to see her live since that Fiddler revival. Always loved her voice and persona."

Much more excited for her than for Crystal. Disappointed to hear she has such a minor part."

Oh, drat. Hope they beef her role up for Broadway.