Superior Donuts Broadway Opening Night
Superior Donuts Broadway Opening NightLess than two years after Tracy Letts earned extraordinary praise for his first Broadway play August: Osage County, along with just about every major honor he could possibly win, including the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award, the playwright/actor's latest play opens tonight at the Main Stem's Music Box Theatre.
Superior Donuts follows a similar path as Letts' earlier effort, having originally premiered at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre. Directed by Tina Landau, Superior Donuts stars Broadway veteran Michael McKean opposite Jon Michael Hill. As I've noted before, while Hill may be new to Broadway audiences, he already lays claim to a distinguished array of credits as Steppenwolf's youngest ensemble member.
Superior Donuts also stars Robert Maffia, James Vincent Meredith, Yasen Peyankov, Jane Alderman, Kate Buddeke, Cliff Chamberlain and Michael Garvey.
Unlike August: Osage County, which included the same scenic design on Broadway as it did at Steppenwolf, Superior Donuts receives a "fresh" look -- a term I use with tongue firmly planted in cheek -- from James Schuette.
Whether or not Superior Donuts follows in the rest of its precursor's footsteps remains to be seen. While I certainly want to see it savored by the critics and public alike, it already has found a special place in my heart, as well as in the annals my very own theatregoing history.
One of the reasons why I'm such an ardent Steppenwolf supporter and fan is because they regularly produce exceptional plays that resonate with me, challenge me and make me think. Yes, there are the occasional shows that leave me a little cold, but the vast majority are incredibly well-crafted and almost all universally are exceptionally well-acted.
Superior Donuts is, in my humble opinion, one of the best of their best, as I noted in my SOB Review after seeing it open in Chicago a year ago last summer. It's why I'm personally looking forward to attending its opening night this evening on Broadway -- a first for me. I'm hoping for a truly Superior Broadway experience in every way.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: August Osage County, Broadway, Jon Michael Hill, Michael McKean, Opening Night, Play, Superior Donuts, Tina Landau, Tracy Letts
posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Thursday, October 01, 2009
3 Comments:
Did you see "Fake"? What did you think?
It's interesting to me that "Donuts" and "Desire Under the Elms" were both Bway transfers, but neither received a single Jess nomination.
*Jeff* nomination...
Yes, I saw Fake and have not yet posted my review. Hope to have that soon. Loved the cast.
You're right about the Jeffs. Interesting that Jon Michael Hill did receive a nod, albeit for The Tempest.
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