PRAYER FOR THE FRENCH REPUBLIC Broadway Winter 23/24

[DiscoCrows]

Posted: 5/18/23 at 10:26am

Looks like MTC has posted audition notices for a production of PRAYER, for Friedman show #2 next season after Jaja's African Hair Braiding.

https://www.playbill.com/job/prayer-for-the-french-republic-nyc-epa-05-30-23/6e60faf2-1a62-4f70-899d-4a751caef7f8

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 5/18/23 at 2:27pm

More Betsy Aidem please.

[pethian]

Posted: 5/18/23 at 2:41pm

Oh, I am so happy to hear this. I missed it last spring and was hoping I'd get a second chance to see it.

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 5/18/23 at 2:53pm

YES YES YES YES!!!!! I can not wait to see this again!!!!

[Pashacar]

Posted: 5/18/23 at 3:01pm

Oy. Trying to ride the antisemitism wave, I guess.

I love Josh Harmon, but this needed a whole lot of work at its last run. Hopefully they gave it a lot of revisions since MTC, but I wouldn't bet on it....

[thatdarnzach]

Posted: 5/18/23 at 3:36pm

Pashacar said: "Oy. Trying to ride the antisemitism wave, I guess.

I love Josh Harmon, but this needed a whole lot of work at its last run. Hopefully they gave it a lot of revisions since MTC, but I wouldn't bet on it...."

I'd urge you to reconsider this take of "trying to profit off of the rising wave of anti-semitism". It's a pretty gross look.

[Falsettolands]

Posted: 5/18/23 at 4:24pm

well put me in the group of people who loved this; a near perfect play with a cast that nailed it. Absolutely loved this. three hours and I could have very easily spent another three.

I hope this gets Betsy Aidem plenty of work. What she does with Marcelle is unparalleled.

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 5/18/23 at 4:29pm

Any one care to speak about the production?  I missed this but really wanted to see it because of Comer.

[mar6411]

Posted: 5/18/23 at 4:39pm

Play Esq. said: "Any one care to speak about the production? I missed this but really wanted to see it because of Comer."

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1126930#
 

[Falsettolands]

Posted: 5/18/23 at 4:43pm

Play Esq. said: "Any one care to speak about the production? I missed this but really wanted to see it because of Comer."

Jodie Comer was not involved in the Off-Broadway production.

[JoeW4]

Posted: 5/18/23 at 5:11pm

Loved this Off-Bway! Really didn't think it needed script-work at all - it struck me as an impressively well-crafted piece.

Maybe I'm missing it, but is there any indication in the listing that it's a Broadway transfer, and not just a return engagement Off-Broadway? I agree the former would probably make more sense, but the latter is far from unheard of.

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 5/18/23 at 5:28pm

I also loved this off-broadway. It asked some really interesting questions. Not action packed (or containing any action at all), but definitely thought-provoking.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 5/18/23 at 7:05pm

I thought this play went off the rails at the end--was too long and tried to say too much. Fixable if he is willing.

 

But it never bored me, and there was some really interesting dialogue and powerful performances. Id love to see it again.

[The Other One]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 7:23am

Pashacar said: "Oy. Trying to ride the antisemitism wave, I guess.

I love Josh Harmon, but this needed a whole lot of work at its last run. Hopefully they gave it a lot of revisions since MTC, but I wouldn't bet on it...."

What an ugly, dismissive statement.  

 

[raddersons]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 7:46am

Pashacar said: "Oy. Trying to ride the antisemitism wave, I guess."

Oh please, grow up. This play is not antisemitic in any way shape or form. For one, it’s short sighted to equate Judaism and Zionism. Two, it’s not even anti-Israel. They discuss the pros and cons of Israel’s controversial formation. Three, I think Judaism as a culture encourages these kinds of open discussions and arguments. Know what you’re talking about before you start spouting nonsense.

I struggled a bit with the “flashbacks” in this one but overall I really liked it. Probably more than Leopoldstadt.

[Melissa25]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 8:03am

I definitely liked Prayer more than Leopoldstadt.  I think Cromer did a fantastic job with the staging and I loved the turntables used to see the then vs. now families.  All the acting was superb and the play stayed with me. One of the best things I saw in 2022.

[DiscoCrows]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 8:28am

JoeW4 said: "Loved this Off-Bway! Really didn't think it needed script-work at all - it struck me as an impressively well-crafted piece.

Maybe I'm missing it, but is there any indication in the listing that it's a Broadway transfer, and not just a return engagement Off-Broadway? I agree the former would probably make more sense, but the latter is far from unheard of."

Yes! The production is set for a LORT A+ venue. The A+ categorization is exclusively reserved for all LORT Broadway theatres.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 9:31am

raddersons said: "Pashacar said: "Oy. Trying to ride the antisemitism wave, I guess."

Oh please, grow up. This play is not antisemitic in any way shape or form. For one, it’s short sighted to equate Judaism and Zionism. Two, it’s not even anti-Israel. They discuss the pros and cons of Israel’s controversial formation. Three, I think Judaism as a culture encourages these kinds of open discussions and arguments. Know what you’re talking about before you start spouting nonsense.

I struggled a bit with the “flashbacks” in this one but overall I really liked it. Probably more than Leopoldstadt."

uhm, i dont think pashacar was even remotely suggesting that Josh Harmon's play about French antiSemitism is antiSemitic. I think they were (callously) suggesting that producers are hoping to enjoy the same success that Leopostadt and Parade have enjoyed. 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 5/19/23 at 10:12am

raddersons said: "Pashacar said: "Oy. Trying to ride the antisemitism wave, I guess."

Oh please, grow up. This play is not antisemitic in any way shape or form. For one, it’s short sighted to equate Judaism and Zionism. Two, it’s not even anti-Israel. They discuss the pros and cons of Israel’s controversial formation. Three, I think Judaism as a culture encourages these kinds of open discussions and arguments. Know what you’re talking about before you start spouting nonsense.

I struggled a bit with the “flashbacks” in this one but overall I really liked it. Probably more than Leopoldstadt."

I doubt most people here would know it, but there is a meme that often gets circulated on Twitter that says something like "Twitter is the only place where someone can say 'I like waffles' and someone else will say 'so that means you hate pancakes' when those are two totally separate things." I think we've found a second place that the meme applies to. 

I thoroughly disagree with Pashcar's assessment. But nothing you said in your comment had anything to do with anything they said. Nobody said the play was Antisemitic and nobody mentioned Israel or Zionism (although I'm confused by your implication that you could see this play and not understand Harmon's perspective on them). That was all you. 

I would agree with you that I thought this was better than Leopoldstadt. Similar themes, but felt more applicable.

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 6/1/23 at 10:57am

Confirmed.

Acclaimed ‘Prayer For The French Republic’ Heading To Broadway

https://deadline.com/2023/06/broadway-prayer-for-the-french-republic-opening-date-1235398053/

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 8/15/23 at 2:48pm

Initial casting just announced:

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Anthony-Edwards-Aria-Shahghasemi-More-to-Star-in-PRAYER-FOR-THE-FRENCH-REPUBLIC-on-Broadway-20230815

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 8/15/23 at 3:26pm

So glad that Betsy and Francis are transferring with this! Hoping Francis wins a Tony for this. 

[Markie27]

Posted: 8/15/23 at 5:11pm

jkcohen626 said: "So glad that Betsy and Francis are transferring with this! Hoping Francis wins a Tony for this."

Francis Benhamou was utterly magnificent in this role!  One of the best performances of that year, broadway or off Broadway.