The Front Page

The Front Page is playing at the Broadhurst Theatre located at 235 West 47th Street. It runs two hours forty five minutes with two intermissions. It closes on January 29, 2017.

It premiered in August 1938 at the Times Square Theatre. It was written by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. The 1986 Broadway revival was nominated for two Tony Awards: Best Revival and Best Scenic Design (Tony Walton), and the Drama Desk Award for outstanding Set Design.

Jack O’ Brien is the director. He won three Tony Awards for The Coast of Utopia (2007), Henry IV (2004) and Hairspray (2003). He was nominated for seven Tony Awards for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2005), The Invention of Love (2001), The Full Monty (2001), Two Trains Running (1992), Two Shakespearean Actors (1991), The Piano Lesson (!990) and Porgy and Bess (1977).

Ann Roth is the costume designer. She won a Tony Award for The Nance (2013) and was nominated for five Tony Awards for Scuffle Along (2016), The Book of Mormon (2011), The House of Blue Leaves (1986), The Crucifer of Blood (1979) and Slow Dance on the Killing Ground (1965).

Douglas W. Schmidt is the scenic designer. He was nominated for two Tony Awards for Into the Woods (2002) and 42nd Street (2001).

Nathan Lane won two Tony Awards for The Producers (2001) and a Funny Thing Happen on the Way to the Forum (1996). He was nominated for a Tony Award for The Nance (2013) and Guys and Dolls (1992).

John Slattery has received four Primetime Emmy Awards nominations for AMC series Mad Men.

John Goodman was nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards for Roseanne.

Jefferson Mays won a Tony Award for I Am My Own Wife (2004) and was nominated for a Tony Award for A Gentlemen’s Guide to Love and Murder (2014). He won a Drama desk Award for A Gentlemen’s guide to Love and Murder (2014) and I Am My Own Wife (2004) . He was nominated for A Drama Desk Award for Blood and Gifts (2012).

Holland Taylor was nominated for a Tony Award for Ann (2013). She won a Primetime Emmy in 1999 for The Practice.

Sheri Rene Scott was nominated for two Tony Awards for Everyday Rapture (2010) and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2005).

Robert Morse starred in both the the 1961 original Broadway production and the 1967 film production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

Dann Florek is known his role as Donald Cragen on NBC’s Law & Order and its spinoff Law 7 Order: Special Victims Unit.

The place is the Press room in the criminal Courts Building, Chicago late October 1928.

There a group of tabloid reporters in the room. They are Endicott, Post (Lewis J. Sladin), Schwartz, Daily News ((David Dittu), Murphy, Journal (Cristopher McDonald) Wilson, American (Joey Slotnick) , McCue, City News Bureau (Dylan Baker), Kruger, Journal of Commerce (Clarke Thorell) .

Ben Singer of the Tribune (Jefferson Mays) makes a grand entrance. He has his own desk in the corner. He hates germs and is so hyper about it.

They are constantly hearing of events happening and relaying them to their papers.

The event they are all talking about is Earl Williams (John Magaro), a white male and a communist revolutionary was convicted of killing a police officer. The gallows he is to be hung from is outside their windows. There is commotions going on below all the time.

Mollie Malloy (Sherie Rene Scott) come in screaming at them that they are printing lies about her. She tells them she met Earl Williams only one time. She is not his girlfriend. They chase her out.

The last reporter to arrive is Hildy Johnson, Herald-Examiner (John Slattery). Hilday says her is quitting his job and is moving to New York City to marry his girlfriend Peggy (Halley Feiffer). She is waiting down stairs with her mother Mrs. Grant. (Holland Taylor).

Earl Williams escapes, the entire reporter’s scurry out except for Hilday. He gets a call about a scope so he leaves behind his girlfriend to follow a lead.

While he is gone the Sheriff Hartman (John Goodman) and The Mayor (Dann Florek) arrive. The mayor is mad that elections are three days away and this happens. He is about to fire the sheriff when Mr. Pincus (Robert Morse) comes into the room from the governor’s office. He has a pardon for Earl Williams. They convince Mr. Pincus not to tell anyone. The mayor offers him a great job. Mr. Pincus leaves. The prisoner is found and the two come up with an idea as what to do with him. They leave to follow it thru.

Hilday returns to the room. While he is there Earl crashes thru the window. Hilday calls his boss Walter Burns (Nathan Lane) to tell what happen and to get him to come to the room.

What happens in between you will have to see this delightful play.

The cast of twenty six do a great job. Jefferson Mays is remarkable. He is so funny, that he steals the scene when he is on stage. John Slattery and Nathan Lane do an outstanding job.

This is a nice revival to see.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich.

Photos by Annazor.

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