SUMMER, 1976 Previews

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 4/3/23 at 12:00am

The new David Auburn play Summer, 1976 begins previews at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre tomorrow night (April 4) before an April 25 opening. Laura Linney and Jessica Hecht star, and Daniel Goldstein directs. Summer, 1976 concludes its brief run May 28.

“Over one fateful summer, an unlikely friendship develops between Diana, a fiercely iconoclastic artist and single mom, and Alice, a free-spirited yet naïve young housewife. As the Bicentennial is celebrated across the country, these two young women in Ohio navigate motherhood, ambition, and intimacy, and help each other discover their own independence.”

Who’s going?

[Melissa25]

Posted: 4/3/23 at 9:02am

Very much looking forward to this.  Attending mid May.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 4/3/23 at 9:31am

I'm going in a couple weeks. I don't know much about the play, but I love both Laura Linney and Jessica Hecht. Looking forward to it.

[ijest22]

Posted: 4/3/23 at 10:31am

EDSOSLO858 said: "The new David Auburn play Summer, 1976 begins previews at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre tomorrow night (April 4) before an April 25 opening. Laura Linney and Jessica Hecht star, and Daniel Goldstein directs. Summer, 1976 concludes its brief run May 28.

“Over one fateful summer, an unlikely friendship develops between Diana, a fiercely iconoclastic artist and single mom, and Alice, a free-spirited yet naïve young housewife. As the Bicentennial is celebrated across the country, these two young women in Ohio navigate motherhood, ambition, and intimacy, and help each other discover their own independence.”

Who’s going?"

I realize that’s why it’s called acting, but it does seem a bit odd that a sixtyish years old actress is playing a naive young housewife. At least I’m assuming one of them is playing that part. I am looking forward to seeing it, though, so maybe it will make sense as staged. Not that I’m knocking either actress. I’m always glad to see them on stage. 

[annang]

Posted: 4/4/23 at 12:01am

I realize this is a new play, but is there any way to get even a rough estimate of how long the running time will be? I'm trying to figure out transportation home, and trains to where I live stop running pretty early on the day I'm looking at.

[sppunk]

Posted: 4/4/23 at 11:55am

annang said: "I realize this is a new play, but is there any way to get even a rough estimate of how long the running time will be? I'm trying to figure out transportation home, and trains to where I live stop running pretty early on the day I'm looking at."

90 minutes without intermission, according to MTC’s website. 

[Damiensta]

Posted: 4/4/23 at 10:14pm

What a great night of theatre this is.

Play is definitely around 85 min but started late. Was out door by 8:35.

if you want to see two great actress act against each other then you are in for a treat. But I could see how this won’t be for everyone,

The play is both of them narrating how 20 years ago uptight and a free spirit became friends over the Summer of 76 due to their daughter friendship.

They are both lead in play. Both actresses were great; however I found myself drawn more to Jessica’s character more.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/5/23 at 8:08pm

So it's just back and forth narration?

[Damiensta]

Posted: 4/5/23 at 8:12pm

RippedMan said: "So it's just back and forth narration?"

Sometimes they narrate and go into acting scene  that they are speaking of. At one point Linney acts the part of Heicht husband.

[dave1606]

Posted: 4/6/23 at 9:47am

I absolutely adored this. The play itself wouldn't be much worth mentioning had they not cast Laura Linney and Jessica Hecht in these parts. The play is exactly what it says, two ladys recounting their meeting and friendship in Summer, 1976.  I appreciate Manhattan Theater Club likes to do plays that are exactly what they say they are, Our Mother's Brief Affair, Summer 1976. 

I'd suggest anyone who wants to go maybe give this a week or so of previews, as there were definitely some stumbling over lines (Jessica Hecht in particular seems to need more time with the text), however, I really loved them both. Laura Linney is giving shades of Lydia Tar and I was so there for it.  She continues to be one of my favorite actors and is clearly having fun here. 

It may not be the most dramatic play you've ever seen, but its a kind story of friendship I feel a lot of people will relate to and it is very, very funny. 

[pippy1]

Posted: 4/10/23 at 9:19am

I had the pleasure of seeing this yesterday. I truly enjoyed it. The acting was fabulous. I don’t know if Ms. Linney and Ms. Hecht are friends in real life, but they have a true connection on stage that was believable, poignant and real. It is 100% worth seeing this play.

The one small aside I will be interested in seeing as more people see the show is whether you have to have been through a similar friendship to feel the depths of their narrative. This is not to say others can’t enjoy this show, because I think you can, but there was something gut wrenching to me as someone who is a mother and has formed connections based on my children.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 4/13/23 at 9:31pm

A pleasant 90ish minutes that is well written, though doesn't have a ton to say. Suffers mostly I think from being on Broadway--both in terms of theater size (which undercuts the chatty intimacy the play and actors clearly strive for) and pricing ($100+ feels awfully steep for two actors sitting at a table downstage). 

I certainly wasn't bored; if anything, I was rapt with attention waiting for some big twist or revelation that didnt really come (the one plot twist isn't, really). But the two women on stage keep it interesting enough, and Linney is particularly funny at points to have kept me on my toes. And although its not much of a story, per se, its written pretty well: both characters are funny/engaging right off the bat. Linney's crisp and biting (in a bad wig? weird cut?), and Hecht is doing her sing-song, loopy-but-still-smart shtick. 

In a weird way, the roles are TOO perfectly written for Linney and Hecht; neither seem to be acting, as much as simply placing themselves into the shoes of these fictional characters. Which works just fine, dont get me wrong, but with Linney especially, who I consider one of the best actresses of our time, I missed that feeling of watching her inject that intelligence/spark into a new character. Not sure if that makes any sense. 

Show was roughly 85 minutes. There are no bad seats for this. 

[Robbie516]

Posted: 4/13/23 at 10:33pm

Anyone think this show will do well with Tony voters?

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 4/13/23 at 11:02pm

I can't believe they programmed this over King James for a Broadway run

[DAME]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 12:31pm

I am hoping this extends.  We miss it by a week.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 1:42pm

Really bummed to miss the show this evening (our pet went under surgery last night and is still in a rough spot healing-wise) - with that said, please let me know if you are interested in a FREE pair of tickets for this evening. Hoping to make it via rush or something during the run. Two of my favorite TV actresses in the last few years. 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 4:55pm

This is so kind of you, and I hope that someone takes you up on this! 

But Id bet the box office/MTC would exchange your tickets for later in the run-- the show wasn't empty last night, but there were definitely seats available. I'd give it a shot if you can.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 4:59pm

You can past-date your tickets. 

[Jonathan Cohen]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 5:36pm

dave1606 said: "I'd suggest anyone who wants to go maybe give this a week or so of previews, as there were definitely some stumbling over lines (Jessica Hecht in particular seems to need more time with the text), however, I really loved them both. Laura Linney is giving shades of Lydia Tar and I was so there for it. She continues to be one of my favorite actors and is clearly having fun here."

Agreed. Jessica Hecht was starring in Letters From Max off-Broadway at the same time she was in rehearsals for this, so that's probably why she's been stumbling her lines a little bit. 

I don't think it especially hurt the performance though, at least when I saw it that was happening when she was trying to process her feelings for Linney's character and the stumbling fit the moment anyway. 

[sppunk]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 12:55pm

Caught this yesterday afternoon. I’ll watch Linney in any performance. 

Her and Hecht do great work. It’s Love Letters-esque but deeper and more conversational.  

I didn’t love the ending- I think it could use a bit of a rewrite - but it didn’t take away from the great performances. 

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 1:24pm

Also caught the last preview yesterday afternoon. It opens on Tuesday. Not over the top theatrics or scenery. Just two incredible actresses at the top of their game weaving a compelling story together about people dealing with the curves life throws them. I'm a Linneyaholic. As someone else said I'll see anything she does. But Hecht who was so good in the last Fiddler revival holds her own. Just a wonderful afternoon at the theater. Alan Alda was in the audience and got to say hello to him as we left the theater.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 1:27pm

DAME said: "I am hoping this extends. We miss it by a week."

It has extended to June 10!