Brighton Beach Bummer

I was very upset to hear that the new Broadway revival of Brighton Beach Memoirs abruptly closed last night, a week after it opened to mostly very positive reviews. I saw the play last week and really enjoyed it. Sure, Neil Simon can be a little cheesy in that old-fashioned blood-is-thicker-than-water kind of way, but even though the play is 26 years old, and I'm only 27, I laughed audibly on several occasions and told anyone who asked what was good on Broadway this season to see it -- but unfortunately they won't be able to.  It's too bad that others, including his family -- who live in Washington state and weren't able to make it for opening night as his older sister was having a baby -- aren't going to be able to see him in that role. Having already starred in two successful Broadway productions, Sunday in the Park with George and Billy Elliot, hopefully his next role will last a little longer than a week. And at least he got to meet Victor Garber, who attended the same performance I did, and went backstage to say hello to the cast. "He made my freaking month," Fontana said. Although all he managed to say to him was "I played Jesus in Godspell," the part Garber played in the film version of the musical.

I haven't seen much else this season that I've enjoyed as much as Brighton Beach, and usually a show has to be really bad (think Carrie in 1988) to close so quickly after opening. It was a sad, confusing weekend on Broadway.

Here's Noah Robbins, Santino Fontana and Laurie Metcalf who played Jerome's mother during happier times at the opening night after party. Photo courtesy of Broadwayworld.com.