THE PERFORMERS to Close on Sunday

[Playbilly]

His thighs circa anytime are pretty impressive.

[Kad]

They're as big around as my waist.

[Playbilly]

I was JUST about to post that picture. And, that's not retouched. (Nor shaven, it seems.)

[Broadway Joe]

I saw the show tonight. It was pretty funny and I'm surprised that it's closing this early. I've seen a hell of a lot worse shows this year then this one.

[Bettyboy72]

It's a cute and fun show but its very slight. Also Graynor was essentially playing Jennifer Tillys Olive from Bullets. She even completely nicked the voice. She was fine but didn't blow me away.

[aaronb]

Just grabbed a ticket for Sunday night. I'd probably see Henry Winkler in anything.

[Caring Soul]

The whole affair sound a bit sleazy for Broadway fare, certainly not suitable for the charter bus crowd.

[Jordan Catalano]

I get the comparisons to Tilly, but so much of it is just Ari's natural voice so I find them a bit unfair. As comedically brilliant as Jennifer Tilly was in BULLETS, Ari Graynor is equally brilliant in this. Yes, the material is not for everyone but for a satire on the porn industry I think it's pretty damn fantastic and I'm really sad I won't get to see it again.

[ryankon]

Saw it this afternoon. Had a better time than I expected and frankly thought the cast was terrific. Ari Graynor(sp?) in particular was very, very funny and inventive. Much better than I had anticipated and very unfortunate that this show(or any show for that matter) is closing so early. Still, this was an instance where the production was superior to the material itself. I'm glad a I got it see it before it closed. A bunch of pros having silly fun is a perfectly fine way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

[TalkinLoud]

Yeah, Graynor is not doing a Tilly impression. That's her voice.

Also, speaking of Graynor/Tilly, does anyone know if Ari can sing? She'd be great as Olive in the Bullets Over Broadway musical.

[artscallion]

She can sing. I saw her play Little Red in Into The Woods at Trinity Rep many years ago.

[TalkinLoud]

Oh man, I bet she was a HILARIOUS Little Red.

[Jordan Catalano]

I would give anything to have been able to see that!!!!

[The Distinctive Baritone]

I saw Graynor in the movie Holy Rollers this past weekend. Doing a lot with a little seems to be one of her special skills. She is also very cute...

[Bettyboy72]

Graynor has a Bette Midler quality to her-able to be bawdy while maintaining her innocence. She was great in LITTLE DOG too. I think she can be a huge star but I also see her with her own sitcom.

[showchoirguy]

Just a thought: Did anybody think this was a joke when it first popped up on the board?

[Rainbowhigh23]

Henry Winkler was at Schmackary's Friday night; I felt so sad for him.

[RippedMan]

I saw this on Saturday, and Ari was freaking brilliant. Just so funny and so hilarious with just the smallest of vocal inflection.

The rest of cast was great, as well. I thought Cheyenne Jackson lost steam about halfway through. His first scene was great, but then he just sorta went onto auto-pilot. Winkler was fine, nothing bad. However, whenever Ari wasn't on stage, I just kept hoping and wishing she'd come back. Her fight with the big boobs girl was priceless.

I was actually surprised how many of the old people around me were cracking up and getting into it. I mean, it's a little awkward to laugh at cumshot jokes, but you know, that's life.

[Kelly2]

I saw it on Sunday purely to see Ari, but I was actually surprisingly charmed by the show. I think it could've found an audience and had a nice little run if they'd had the funds to give it some more time. Sad to see this close.

[Scarywarhol]

This was a terrible, terrible, terrible play. Loved the cast but I have no idea how the playwright was able to take his chosen topic and turn it into an especially corny episode of Three's Company.

[bangbang]

And he wonders why he isn't offered more serious roles?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Who? Henry Winkler?

[Jordan Catalano]

Does he wonder that? Is he on record as saying "I wonder why I'm not offered more serious roles?"

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Poor Fonzie.

[Jordan Catalano]

Fonzie Bear was never a very serious Muppet to begin with.

[americanboy99]

Scarywarhol-

I think that was the play's point- to take an extremely taboo industry/group of people and present them in an a very familiar, traditional fashion. I thought it was a really fun pairing of form and content that kept me laughing from start to finish.

I'll still be sad come Tony time if this show (ie Graynor) is, in fact, ineligible.