The Sunday Giveaway: Two Tickets to Virginia Woolf on Broadway!
A Broadway season wouldn’t be complete without at least one Steppenwolf production on the boards.
And the other boards, you know, the ones they call “chat,” are already buzzin’ that Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf is one of the plays to see this season.
And you should be pumped, because one of you is going to see this classic for freeeeeeeee!
How do you win two tickets to see Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
This production doesn’t feature any Hollywood stars above it’s title . . . but it does feature a very high profile Steppenwolf cast, including none other than the ambi-talented, Tracy Letts, who wrote that little play that no one ever heard of called August: Osage County.
A Broadway actor, a Broadway playwright, and a great one . . . at both! There aren’t too many folks that can put that on their resume.
But maybe some others should.
What playwright/librettist would you like to see take a turn on the stage? Bonus points for assigning them a role and a show.
For example . . . Arthur Laurents as Herbie in his own Gypsy. Rose would have listened to him then! 😉
Good luck!
UPDATE: I forgot to mention . . . the winner of this giveaway not only gets the tickets to the show (which just got a GLORIOUS rave from the NY Times), but they also get an script autographed by Mr. Albee himself!!!
(Got a comment? I love ‘em, so comment below! Email subscribers, click here then scroll down, to say what’s on your mind!)
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FUN STUFF:
– Get Your Show Off The Ground! Workshop coming up on 11/17. Only a few spots left. Register today.
Eugene O’Neill, Tracy Letts, Leslye Headland, and Sarah Ruhl in “God of Carnage.”
Emphasis on the word “CARNAGE” here.
I imagine David Mamet playing just about any male character in any of his plays
Lin Manuel Miranda and Jeff Bowen as Cosmo and Don Lockwood in Singing in the Rain. I would watch that
Douglas Carter Beane playing the Mary Testa role in Xanadu.
James Lapine as the Narrator in Into the Woods!
Tennessee Williams as Stanley in Streetcar
Named Desire!
Stephen Sondheim in FOLLIES as Ben (the older Ben)
Haha, someone beat me to Douglas Carter Beane in Xanadu… 🙂 So I’ll say Harvey Fierstein…as Jack Kelly in Newsies.
Arthur Miller as Joe in All My Sons
I want to see Sam Shepard and David Mamet do True West. Come on. That would be awesome.
Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx in [Title of Show].
Aaron Sorkin in any Mamet play.
Martin McDonagh and Harold Pinter (if they were contemporaries) as Gus and Ben in The Dumb Waiter respectively. Or if you wanted to emphasize the idea of a younger generation taking over, expanding and continuing the previous generations work you could reverse it and have McDonagh play Ben and Pinter play Gus.
the best i can think of is john guare as the naked hustler in six degrees of separation
Neil Simon as Herb Tucker in his own play, I Ought to Be in Pictures 🙂
Can we get Neil LaBute in anything by Sarah Kane?
Perhaps Phaedra’s Love?
This is going back a bit, but William Shakespeare as Hamlet.
I’d would have loved to see Arthur Miller play Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman. I think Miller might have been haunted by some of the similar feelings…
Stephen Sondheim as George in Sunday in the Park. With Angela as Dot/Marie. The matinee crowds would eat up seeing two older legends take the stage and if surrounded by an ensemble of younger actors, the show’s poignant themes of legacy, change and embracing the future would certainly shine anew!
Christopher Durang as George Spelvin in The Actor’s Nightmare.
I’d love to see David Mamet as John in Oleanna!
Tony Kushner as Ned in The Normal Heart!
Sarah P. just made me snort laugh with Harvey Fierstein in Newsies.
I’d really love to see Suzan-Lori Parks play Jesse in Marsha Norman’s night, Mother.
Steve Martin as Albert Einstein in his own show Pablo at the Lapine
How about Ibsen in something particularly silly by Noel Coward?
David Mamet as the title role in MAN IN THE GLASS BOOTH. Or Martin McDonagh as the director in NOISES OFF.
Arthur Miller as Biff in DEATH OF A SALESMAN!
How about Sondheim as the “Mysterious Man” from his own “Into the Woods”? Sounds epic!
Terrence McNally as Maria Callas in a drag production of his own Masterclass!
Please give me the absurdity of Edward Albee playing Grandpa in You Can’t Take it With You….
and, just for kicks, let’s have Woody Allen playing Paul
Adam Rapp as the narrator in Our Town…I was hoping he would make an appearance in the Barrow Street production that happened a couple years ago!
I’d like to see David Mamet in his own play Glengarry Glen Ross.
Edward Albee as King Lear, Adam Rapp as Edmund, Chris Shinn as Edgar, Annie Baker as Cordelia, Suzan-Lori Parks as Regan, Lucy Thurber as Goneril, August Wilson as Glouster and Paula Vogel as the Fool.
I would love to see Stephen Sondheim alternate the roles of Charlie and Frank in Merrily We Roll Along!
Stephen Sondheim as Sweeney Todd!! I’m certain there are those along the way he’d have like to given a close shave to.
Moisés Kaufman in “I Am My Own Wife”
How about Mitt Romney in Book of Morman.
Stephen Sondheim as the Stage Manager in Our Town.
Leslye Headland as Regan in Bachelorette. After having the pleasure of hearing her read the material in rehearsals for the premier production at Second Stage, I’d kill to see her do it in real life!
Douglas Carter Beane as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray
Stephen Sondheim as Tevye.
George M playing George M in George M.
Noel Coward in any of his own plays.
Beau Willimon in Farragut North! So dreamy!
Tony Kushner as the professor in Theresa Rebeck’s Seminar. Then we could get Ms. Rebeck as the instructor in Annie Baker’s Circle Mirror Transformation. Then Ms. Baker in as the younger wife in Will Eno’s The Realistic Joneses. Then Mr Eno as the expatriate physician in Amy Herzog’s Belleville. Then Ms. Herzog as …. well you get the idea….
THis was easy for me. I got 2. Stephen Schwartz as the Wizard in Wicked & Marc Shaiman as Edna in Hairspray.
I’d love to see Alan Bennett play King George in his own The Madness of King George. He is so under appreciated by American audiences!
It has got to be Eugene O’Neill as Treplyov in THE SEAGULL. A morose SOB playwright starring as the history of drama’s most famous morose SOB playwright! O’Neill took so much inspiration from Chekhov that he would understand Treplyov better than any other actor possibly could.
August Wilson in a production of The Scottsboro Boys. Maybe I’m a little nuts but I think he would have the perfect understanding of the show…
Henrik Ibsen as Torvald in A Doll’s House – with the original ending, of course!
Alan Bennett as Hector in his own “The History Boys.”
Suzan-Lori Parks in any of her plays. She’s written and directed. Why not act?
Samuel Beckett as Krapp.
Myself as HOSS in Sam Shepard’s TOOTH OF CRIME. I could use both the work and exposure:)
Harold Pinter as Dysart in “Equus”.
When I saw Rick Elice in a panel discussion last spring, he was utterly charming and funny yet seemed completely relaxed and kind-hearted. I would love to see him play a father-figure with a dark secret, or kind of like a Dexter for the stage.
William Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw as Oscar and Felix in The Off Couple.
Lol. I meant the Odd couple. Although they’d be pretty “off”
I always have mini panic attacks when I have to perform Sondheim with his multitude of lists and fast-paced, witty lyrics. I’d love to give him a taste of his own medicine.
Let him play Mrs. Lovett. That would be interesting. I’d like to see him perform a little “By the Sea.”
I could totally see the fabulous Lynn Ahrens as Peter Pan!
I’d love to see my favorite playwright, Martin McDonagh, onstage. He’d need a really juicy role in a show full of blood to feel at home; if he can sing, Sweeney Todd would be an awesome character for him.
Lillian Hellman in The Children’s Hour.
Sam Shepard as the father in Curse of the Starving Class.
Sarah Ruhl as Virginia in The Clean House.
Neil LeBute in “Book of Mormon” as Elder Kevin Price
Aaron Sorkin, alternating in the roles of Farnsworth and Sarnoff. It’s a story he is obviously fascinated and inspired by- he’s referenced the invention of television in several projects- and I think he’d be ideally suited to convey the passions of Farnsworth, while keeping Sarnoff intellectually sympathetic. He’d probably spit the words best as well since he has such a distinctive voice as an playwright and screenwriter.
Michael Frayn as Lloyd Dallas the director of Nothing On in Noises Off. For some reason the playwright as the actor playing the director seems comical and perfect at the same time.
Mercedes Ruehl as Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie
Woody Allen as Leopold Bloom in Ulysses in Nighttown
Harvey Fierstein as Max Bialystock in The Producers.
I’d love to see Tom Stoppard in ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN. That could be amazing.
As either character R or G of course
Trey Parker and Matt Stone as Elder Price and Elder Cunningham
T.S. Elliot as Old Deuteronomy
Betty Comden and Adolph Green in On The 20th Century
William Shakespeare as Roger in “Rent” (hey, they’re both moody and poetic!)….
GEORGE BERNARD SHAW as HENRY HIGGINS in MY FAIR LADY
LEONARD BERNSTEIN as ALBIN in LA CAGE AUX FOLLES
Charles Busch in Sarah Kane’s Blasted
Stephen Schwartz as The Wizard in Wicked
David Henry Hwang as DHH in Yellowface.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone as Oscar and Felix in The Odd Couple!
Mel Brooks as Max Bialystock in The Producers. Now how funny would that be. I can see a packed house every night, and everyone leaving with a big smile on there face.
A. R. Gurney as Tevye in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. He would turn “Sabbath Prayer” into “The Cocktail Hour,” thereby further enraging Michael Riedel post the David Leveaux frisson.
I would’ve LOVED to see Ibsen as Helmer or Krodstad in “A Doll’s House”! I also would love to see Edward Albee as Quilty in his adaptation of “Lolita” and Sarah Ruhl in Kane’s “4.48 Psychosis”.
Sheldon Harnick as Tevye.
William Shakespeare as Theodore Hickman in “The Iceman Cometh”
Marc Shaiman as Edna Turnblad
I don’t know why, but Tony Kushner as Max Bialystock in The Producers
I would love to see Lin-Manuel Miranda and Robin de Jesús as Georges and Albin in La Cage Aux Folles. Maybe we’ll have to wait for them to be a little older, though. I am convinced they would be awesome together.
My hero Edward Albee playing Martin in ‘The Goat’ would make my life! He’d have to change several age references, but othter than that I might pass out from the thrill!!!
William Shakespeare as john barrymore in I hate hamlet
Andrew Lloyd Webber as one of the felines in Cats….he have might written more songs for the show than one recurring “Memories”.
edward albee in( title role ) the man who came to dinner
How about the great late Wendy Wasserstein as “Heidi” in “The Heidi Chronicles”? That would be especially comic and touching. She is a wonderful writer who left us all too soon.
All of the above suggestions are great though.
Producers, take note!
Stephen Schwartz as Berthe in Pippin!
Since I just ADORE Joe DiPietro (and his writing style) I’d LOVE to see him in his own productions!
1 – He could be Huey in “Memphis” <3
(because he obviously can not be the "Double-Dutch Girl" lol)
2 – or maybe "White Dude" in Toxie!
(you know you can just picture him in that pink sequin dress)
and then to round out the cast, throw David Bryan in as Toxie! – Hey, he has the height! 🙂
I’d love to see Julie Taymor as Gertrude in HAMLET. She has that tempestuous fire in her that often causes her to be seen in an antagonistic light, when in fact she is most often caring and compassionate, only wanting what’s best for everyone.
Scratch my last answer, Julie Taymor isn’t a playwright or librettist. I instead would like to see Martin McDonagh as Iago in OTHELLO.
John Osborne as Jimmy Porter in Look Back in Anger….now that would be incredible.
Lillian Hellman as Regina Giddons in “The Little Foxes” – a great role!
Oscar Wilde as Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest
Jason Robert Brown as Leo Frank in Parade!
I think John Patrick Shanley would be a very interesting Father Flynn in DOUBT. I would love to see what he would do with the role, and how guilty or innocent his Father Flynn would come off. Maybe his boyish smile would win me over and I would find his Father Flynn less guilty?
Runner up is Jason Robert Brown as Jamie in his own THE LAST 5 YEARS. Or perhaps Bobby in COMPANY.
I would love to see Tracy Letts as Bill Fordham in Augsut: Osage County.
He’s getting a little old for it now, but I would have loved to see Woody Allen play the lead in my (dreamed of, but couldn’t get the rights for) musical version of “Broadway Danny Rose.”
Jon Patrick Shanley in OLEANNA, perhaps?
Elton John as Billy In Billy Elliot
Elton John as Aida In Aida
Elton John as Amneris In Aida
Elton John as Nala In The Lion King
Sarah Ruhl as Polly Peachum in The Threepenny Opera.
My daughter wants to see Lin Manuel as Mark in Rent. She wants to hear him rap La Vie Boheme.
I think that Steven Sondheim would be extremely fun to watch as Colonel Ricci in “Passions”. He has these themes of guilt tied into his shows sometimes, and as the Colonel is riddled with guilt over his cousin, I’d really like to see Mr. Sondheim show us that. I think he’d be fabulous.
Larry Kramer as Ned Weeks in “The Normal Heart”, with Wendy Wasserstein as Dr. Emma Brookner.
how about Marc Shaiman as Edna Turnblad and Scott Wittman as Wilbur Turnblad?
Eugene O’Neill as Jamie Tyrone in LONG DAYS JOURNEY INTO NIGHT.
Andrew Lloyd Weber as Jerusalem’s Rooster.
I’d go with either Neil Simon as his stage counterpart Eugene in Brighton Beach Memoirs or (and I don’t know if he sings) Terrence McNally as Molina in Kiss of the Spider Woman.
Burt Bacharach in “Promises, Promises”–WITH Dionne!!
Andrew Lloyd Webber as the Phantom in Phantom…the Yeston/Kopit one.
Sondhiem as Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd!!
Duncan Sheik in American Idiot
Trey Parker and Matt Stone in The Producers.
William Finn as Daddy Warbucks in Annie.
Whenever I listen to Tick Tick Boom I imagine Johnathon Larson as one of the male leads. He is so incredibly talented and you can hear the deeply autobiographic nature of his work.
David Mamet as Mark Rothko in “Red”
William Finn headlining an ART staging of A New Brain as Gordon. Stephen Schwartz in a cameo as Mr. Bungee & Scott Schwartz as Dr. Jafar. Featuring digital scenery filmed at the Boston Public Garden.
I want to see playwright David Henry Hwang in the role of Albert/Kevin in Clybourne Park. That would make things interesting!
William S. Gilbert of GILBERT & SULLIVAN fame acting and falsetto singing the part played by Andy Gibb( of the Bee Gees) in the 1981 production of “THE PIRATES of PENZANCE”
JAMES LAPINE playing the Bernadette Peters part in a lively ruffled long gown in “Sunday in the Park With George”
I envision Greg Kotis, book author and lyricist for “URINETOWN” actor & singer in “THE BOOK OF MORMON” in the part of the young Elder who experiences severe diahhrea while on a religious mission in Uganda.
All bodily functions are the most important issues of our times.
I’m in the midst of writing my future blockbuster musical “MENSES: Outlawed by the Far Right as the Abortion of an Available Egg”.
This follows the launch of my Tea Party funded musical “Never come again” where gents are jailed for wet dreams that are not aimed at a pregnancy potential partner.
Also in the works is “LACTATION-the MUSICAL” a singing and jumping extravaganza celebrating one of the most useful bodily functions!”LACTATION” explores why men and babies desire the post pregnancy protruding poufs of production.
T.S. Elliot was quite ill as a child, suffering from a congenital defect. The physical restriction gave him his love of literature, but how wonderful would it be if HE won the Jellicle Choice and returned to dance in Cats! Perhaps Rum Tum Tummer?
“Speed-the-Plow”–yes again–with David Mamet as Bobby Gould. (Make it an extra-dark comedy by adding Jeremy Piven as Charlie Fox.)
Or Mamet interpreting anything by Pinter.
Cole Porter as Kate in Kiss Me Kate!!