Steve On Broadway (SOB)

A Catered Opening Night

A Catered Opening Night

Fifty-two years after Paddy Chayefsky's kitchen sink film "The Catered Affair" starring Bette Davis, Ernest Borgnine, Debbie Reynolds and Rod Taylor first appeared, Tony winner Harvey Fierstein hooks up with John Bucchino to present a musical adaptation that opens on Broadway tonight.

A Catered Affair, under John Doyle's direction, features Fierstein along with Faith Prince, Tom Wopat, Matt Cavenaugh and Leslie Kritzer in this five-handkerchief tuner.

The show received some positive reviews during its San Diego tryout last fall. However, it took a major hit from The Los Angeles Times, which may not have received nearly as much play had it not been for Fierstein's fierce rebuttal.

In the best of all worlds, this might be the musical to beat in the annual Tony derby given its pedigree. But in the year of the decidedly smaller show, will A Catered Affair prove to be too much of a feast for the critics? Stay tuned as I present my critics' capsule tomorrow.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:
Early Tony Handicapping (March 25, 2008)
Wildfires Force Closure Of La Jolla And Old Globe Theatres (October 23, 2007)
Harvey Fiersback (October 5, 2007)
Were Left Coast Critics Feting A Catered Affair? (October 3, 2007)
San Diego Opening Is Catered Affair (September 30, 2007)
Which Upcoming Broadway Musicals Will You See? (June 15, 2007)
Fierstein To Musicalize Bette Davis' Fave Flick (March 21, 2007)

Labels: A Catered Affair, Broadway, Faith Prince, Film, Harvey Fierstein, John Bucchino, John Doyle, Matt Cavenaugh, Musical, Opening Night, Tom Wopat

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Thursday, April 17, 2008