Good Night, Oscar Explained

Good Night, Oscar
Premiere:March 12, 2022
Genre:Comedy-Drama
Place:Goodman Theatre
Based On:A 1958 episode of The Tonight Show

Good Night, Oscar is a comedy-drama play written by American playwright Doug Wright. The story revolves around a fictional event in which pianist and humorist Oscar Levant portrayed by Sean Hayes appears on The Tonight Show with Jack Paar. The production received critical acclaim with Hayes winning the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.

The original production began previews at the Belasco Theatre on April 7, 2023, and premiered on April 24, closing on August 27, 2023, after 126 performances.[1]

Synopsis

The show follows a 1958 episode of The Tonight Show, where host Jack Paar has as a guest comedian Oscar Levant.

Production history

The show first premiered in 2022 at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, with Sean Hayes as Oscar Levant.[2] The production ran from March 12 until April 24, 2022.[3]

The Broadway production was directed by Lisa Peterson. Rehearsals began on March 13, 2023. The production opened April 24, 2023. It also features set design by Rachel Hauck, costume design by Emilio Sosa, lighting design by Carolina Ortiz Herrera and Ben Stanton, sound design by Andre Pluess, music supervision by Chris Fenwick, and wig, hair, and make-up design by J. Jared Janas. At the 76th Tony Awards, the show received three nominations and Hayes was awarded Best Leading Actor in a Play.

Notable casts

!Characters!Goodman Theatre (2022)[4] !Broadway (2023)
Oscar LevantSean Hayes
June LevantEmily Bergl
Alvin FinnerTramell TillmanMarchánt Davis
Bob SarnoffPeter Grosz
Jack PaarBen Rappaport
Max WeinbaumEthan SlaterAlex Wyse
George GershwinJohn Zdrojeski

Reception

Critical response

The Chicago production received positive reviews from the Chicago Tribune,[5] Chicago Sun-Times,[6] Hyde Park Herald,[7] and WTTW, among others, with Hayes' performance being especially noted.[8] The Broadway production received mostly positive reviews. Christian Lewis of Variety praised Wright's dialogue writing, "In some ways, "Good Night, Oscar" even feels like an episode of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel — zany, fast-paced and smartly humorous, with references flying a mile a minute, some battle-of-the-sexes content, sumptuous dresses, well-tailored suits and occasional moments of sincere emotion."[9] The New York Daily News, on the other hand, lauded Hayes' "spectacularly intense and unstinting performance".[10] Entertainment Weekly gave the production an A writing, "Aside from a few lulls in the early stages of exposition...the entire play is delightful, buoyed by its leading man's performance."[11]

Some critics were more mixed with Jesse Green of The New York Times called the play an "unconvincing biographical fantasia" and Hayes' performance "less an inhabitation of character than a nonstop loop of perfectly rendered facial tics, trembling hands and compulsive gestures."[12] Johnny Oleksinski of The New York Post gave the play two out of four stars and called it "off-key" and "mostly unsatisfying."[13]

Awards and nominations

Chicago production

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResultRef.
Jeff AwardOutstanding Production of a PlayGood Night, Oscar[14]
Outstanding New WorkDoug Wright
Director of a PlayLisa Peterson
Performer in a Principal Role in a PlaySean Hayes
Performer in a Supporting Role in a PlayEmily Bergyl
Scenic Design - LargeRachel Hauck
Sound Design - LargeAndré Pluess

Broadway production

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResultRef.
Tony AwardsBest Leading Actor in a PlaySean Hayes[15]
Best Costume Design in a PlayEmilio Sosa
Best Scenic Design in a PlayRachel Hauck
Drama Desk AwardsOutstanding Lead Performance in a PlaySean Hayes[16]
Outstanding Supporting Performance in a PlayEmily Bergl
Drama League AwardsOutstanding Production of a PlayGood Night, Oscar[17]
Distinguished Performance AwardSean Hayes
Outer Critics Circle AwardOutstanding New Broadway PlayGood Night, Oscar[18]
Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway PlaySean Hayes
Outstanding Sound Design (Play or Musical)André Pluess

Conception dispute

The conception of the origins of the play has been up for debate with playwright David Adjmi, claiming in a Facebook post that he had persuaded Hayes to portray Levant and was commissioned by producer Beth Williams to write a play for the actor. When Adjmi refused to "lighten the material," he said, Williams and Hayes held their option "in bad faith" to prevent him from further developing his play, while hiring Doug Wright to write a new play based on Adjmi's idea. The production team of Good Night, Oscar strongly rebutted Adjmi's claim in a press release which alleged Hayes and Williams had themselves gotten the idea to make Levant the center of a play in 2010, and culled Adjmi from a list of playwrights to write it.[19] Adjmi then published an email exchange on BroadwayWorld.com between himself and Hayes, in which he attempted to convince a reluctant Hayes to portray Levant.[20]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wild . Stephi . Full Cast Announced For GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR as Rehearsals Begin . March 14, 2023 . March 18, 2023 . . en.
  2. News: Hall . Margaret . March 14, 2023 . Emily Bergl, Alex Wyse, Marchánt Davis, More Join Good Night, Oscar . . 18 March 2023.
  3. Web site: Good Night, Oscar . 2023-03-18 . Goodman Theatre . en-US.
  4. Web site: In 'Good Night, Oscar,' Music and Madness Conjoin While Sean Hayes Soars . March 22, 2022 . March 18, 2023 . WTTW News . en.
  5. Web site: Chris. Jones. Review: Sean Hayes is a revelation in 'Good Night, Oscar' at Goodman Theatre. Broadway is surely next. . March 22, 2022 . March 18, 2023 . Chicago Tribune.
  6. Web site: Steven . Oxman . March 22, 2022 . In 'Good Night, Oscar' Sean Hayes captures the wit, wisdom and anguish of Levant . March 18, 2023 . . en.
  7. Web site: Spiselman . Anne . April 11, 2022 . 'Good Night, Oscar': A symphony for a troubled genius . March 18, 2023 . . en.
  8. Web site: Sinclair . Andy . Good Night, Oscar . March 22, 2022 . March 18, 2023 . Headliner Chicago . en.
  9. Web site: 'Good Night, Oscar' Review: Sean Hayes Gives a Bravura Performance as Late-Night TV Virtuoso. Variety. February 25, 2024.
  10. Web site: 'BROADWAY REVIEW: Sean Hayes offers up a stunning star turn in daring 'Good Night, Oscar'. Chris. Jones. 25 April 2023. 4 May 2023. The New York Daily News.
  11. Web site: Good Night, Oscar review: More like 'Hello, Tony' — Sean Hayes strikes gold on Broadway. Entertainment Weekly. February 25, 2024.
  12. Web site: 'Good Night, Oscar' Review: Sean Hayes With Demerol and Cadenzas. Jesse. Green. 25 April 2023. 1 May 2023. The New York Times.
  13. Web site: Oleksinski . Johnny . April 25, 2023 . 'Good Night, Oscar' review: Sean Hayes stars in off-key play . June 13, 2023 . en-US.
  14. Web site: 2022 JEFF EQUITY AWARDS NOMINEES/Winners. Chicagocritic. February 25, 2024.
  15. Web site: Rubin . Rebecca . Lang . Brent . Lang . Brent . 2023-05-02 . Tony Award Nominations 2023: 'Some Like It Hot' Dominates, Followed by '& Juliet,' 'Shucked,' 'New York, New York' . 2023-05-02 . Variety . en-US.
  16. Web site: 2023 Drama Desk Award winners announced. New York Theatre Guide. February 25, 2024.
  17. Web site: See the Full List of 2023 Drama League Award Nominations. Playbill. February 25, 2024.
  18. Web site: Some Like It Hot Dominates 2023 Outer Critics Circle Awards; See the Full List of Winners. Playbill. February 25, 2024.
  19. News: Culwell-Block . Logan . 7 October 2022 . Broadway's Upcoming Good Night, Oscar Responds to Allegations of Artistic Stifling by Playwright David Adjmi . . 11 April 2023.
  20. Web site: David . Cara Joy . GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR, The Behind-the-Scenes Battle Splayed Out In Public . 2023-04-11 . BroadwayWorld.com . en.