The company comprises Nathan Lane, John Slattery, John Goodman, Jefferson Mays, Sherie Rene Scott, Holland Taylor, and Robert Morse, along with Dylan Baker, Patricia Conolly, Halley Feiffer, Dann Florek, John Magaro, Danny Mastrogiorgio, Christopher McDonald, David Pittu, Joey Slotnick, Lewis J. Stadlen, Micah Stock, and Clarke Thorell.
Jack O’Brien directed the revival, which officially opened October 20, 2016, following previews that began September 20. Producer Scott Rudin announced January 9 that the production recouped its entire $4.875 million capitalization during the week ending January 1. It was the first Broadway production of the 2016-17 theatre season to reach this milestone, having recouped in just under 15 weeks.
Read reviews for the production here.
“The press room of Chicago’s Criminal Courts Building is buzzing with reporters covering the story of an escaped prisoner,” according to press notes. “When star reporter Hildy Johnson (Slattery) accidentally discovers the runaway convict, he and his editor Walter Burns (Lane) conspire to hide the man from the other reporters, while they chase the biggest scoop of their careers.”
The tradition of having critics attend and review the opening-night performance, which went out of fashion in the 1970’s, was revived for this production as an “homage to the glory days of print media, during which time The Front Page is set,” according to an earlier press release. An early curtain time was set to allow the critics extra time to write and file their reviews.
The Front Page premiered August 14, 1928, at the Times Square Theatre, in a production staged by George S. Kaufman. The play was heralded for its rapid-fire dialogue written by former newspaper men Hecht and MacArthur, and was one of four hits in a row in the early career of its producer, Jed Harris.
The Broadway revival featured set design by Douglas Schmidt, costume design by Ann Roth, lighting design by Brian MacDevitt, and sound by Scott Lehrer.
This revival of The Front Page was produced by Scott Rudin.
Tickets are on sale via Telecharge.com at (212) 239-6200.
