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Frankie & Johnny

Frankie & Johnny is playing at the Broadhurst Theatre located at 255 West 44th Street. It runs two hours fifteen minutes with one intermission. The play closes on August 25, 2019.

The play was first performed off-Broadway in 1987 at Stage II at the Manhattan Theatre Club for two weeks. On Broadway it opened at the Belasco Theatre.on July 26, 2002. The director was Joe Mantello. Edie Falco and Stanley Tucci starred in it. Rosie Perez and Joe Pantoliano were replacements as of January 2003.The played closed on March 9, 2003 after 243 performances and 15 previews. It was nominated for two Tony Awards for Best Revival and for Stanley Tucci for best performance by a Leading A in a play.

Audra McDonald won six Tony Awards for Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill ((2014), Porgy and Bess (2012), A Raisin in the Sun (2004), Ragtime (1998), Master Class (1996) and Carousel (1994) and was nominated for two Tony Awards for 110 in the Shade (2007) and Marie Christine (2004).

Michael Shannon was nominated for a Tony Award for Long Day's Journey Into Night (2016).

The time is the 1980’s, the setting Frankie’s one room apartment in a walk up tenement in the west 50’s.

We see Frankie (Audra McDonald) and Johnny (Michael Shannon) for a brief moment (the lights go out).

The lights come back on but are low, we know they are having hot passionate sex. When the lights come up they are listening to music.

Frankie and Johnny work in a restaurant. She’s a waitress; he is a short order cook. This is their first date.

Frankie wants him to leave but he wants to stay. They hardly know anything about each other but as they talk they're surprise how much they have in common.

After intermission they try to have sex but Johnny could not rise for the occasion. She wants him to make an omelet but he wants to try again. In the end it looks like there will be another date.

Audra McDonald and Michael Shannon were amazing.

This is an enjoyable play. I liked the second act better at least for me it seemed to flow better.

Be warned there is nudity, it is done discreetly. The F k word is used and things of a sexual nature are mentioned thru out the play.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich.

Photos by Annazor.

To read a candid interview with the cast, scroll down the left for photos. Click on photos for this and other shows.

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