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Academy Award-nominated and Emmy Award-winning writer and actress Renée Taylor - known to millions for her role as Fran Fine's food-obsessed mother, Sylvia, on "The Nanny" - has returned to the New York stage in the critically acclaimed New York premiere of My Life on a Diet, an autobiographical comedy written by Ms. Taylor and her late husband Joseph Bologna, and originally directed by Mr. Bologna. Presented by Julian Schlossberg, MY LIFE ON A DIET is now playing Off-Broadway at Theatre at St. Clement's (423 West 46 Street, between Ninth & Tenth Aves).
Renée Taylor looks back on a life full of memorable roles in Hollywood and on Broadway, and just as many fad diets. A self-described "diet junkie," Taylor, in My Life on a Diet, dishes out juicy anecdotes about -- and weight loss tips from -- Hollywood legends such as Joan Crawford, Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando and Cary Grant (she used to think that if she ate like star, she'd just might live like one). By sharing her high and lows - on and off the scale - as only she could, Renée Taylor proves how the ability to laugh will get you through it all.
Renée explains, "A few years ago, I had the pleasure to work with my friend Nora Ephron on her wonderful play, Love, Loss, and What I Wore. I told her that, as a woman who had worn every size from 4 to 18 over the years, my version of the play would be called, 'Love, Loss, and What I Ate.' Well, this is that play, but I ended up calling it My Life on a Diet."
RENéE TAYLOR (Performer, Co-Writer). With Joseph Bologna, Renée collaborated on 22 plays, four films, and nine TV movies and series. They appeared together on Broadway in their plays Lovers and Other Strangers (1968), It Had to Be You (1981), and If you ever leave me ... I'm going with you! (2001); and Off-Broadway in Bermuda Avenue Triangle (Promenade Theatre, 1997). For film, they received an Academy Award nomination for the 1970 film adaptation of Lovers and Other Strangers. The following year, they co-wrote and co-starred in Made for Each Other (Writers Guild of America Award nomination for Best Comedy). Renée and Joe co-directed, co-wrote, and co-starred in the 1989 film adaptation of It Had to Be You, and the 1996 film Love Is All There Is (which introduced a young Angelina Jolie). For television, the couple won Emmy Awards in 1973 for writing "Acts of Love and Other Comedies," and were nominated once again the following year for writing the TV movie "Paradise." They co-directed, co-wrote, and co-starred in the 1984 HBO movie "Bedrooms" (Writers Guild Award). Renée made her professional stage debut at 15 in a Purim Pageant at Madison Square Garden, and earned her Actors Equity card at age 19 for appearing in The Rehearsal at The President Theatre. Her other stage credits include: Nora and Delia Ephron's Love, Loss, and What I Wore; Agatha Sue, I Love You (directed by George Abbott); Luv (directed by Mike Nichols); and Elaine May's 1964 improvisational revue The Third Ear. Her many film credits also include: Jerry Lewis' The Errand Boy, Mel Brooks' The Producers, Elaine May's A New Leaf, Neil Simon's Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Lovesick, White Palace, Life During Wartime, Tyler Perry's Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor, and more recently, The Do-Over and How To Be a Latin Lover. Known for her Emmy nominated role of Sylvia Fine in "The Nanny," Renée's other notable TV acting credits include "Daddy Dearest" and the groundbreaking HBO sitcom "Dream On" (she has the distinction of appearing on these three television shows simultaneously). More recently she has had recurring roles in "How I Met Your Mother," "Bob's Burgers," and "Happily Divorced."
Joseph Bologna (Co-Writer, Original Direction) was born in Brooklyn, NY on December 30, 1934. Bologna graduated from Brown University with a degree in art history. Following a tour with the U.S. Marines, Joe started directing short films and writing special comedy material. Bologna made his Broadway debut as the co-star and co-author of Lovers and Other Strangers, and he made his film debut as the co-star and co-author of Made for Each Other. His other film credits include Cops and Robbers, Mixed Company, The Big Bus, Chapter Two, My Favorite Year, Blame It on Rio, The Woman in Red, Love Is All There Is and Big Daddy. His television credits include the Emmy-winning television special "Acts of Love and Other Comedies" (co-written with Ms. Taylor), and the made for TV films "Honor Thy Father;" "Paradise;" "What's New, Catherine Cutis?;" "Torn Between Two Lovers;" and "One Cooks, the Other Doesn't;" among others. An Academy Award nominated and Emmy Award winning playwright and screenwriter, Joe, with Renée Taylor, his wife and partner of 52 years, collaborated on 22 plays, four film screenplays, and nine TV movies and series.
MY LIFE ON A DIET has a set by Harry Feiner, costume by Pol' Atteu, lighting by Stefanie Risk, sound by Jay Risk and projections by Michael Redman. The Production Stage Manager is April Ann Kline.
MY LIFE ON A DIET is presented by Julian Schlossberg in association with Morris S. Levy, Rodger Hess, Harold Newman, Jim Fantaci, Andrew Tobias, and Ronald Glazer/Sabrina Hutt.
MY LIFE ON A DIET is now playing Off-Broadway at Theatre at St. Clement's (423 West 46 Street, btw. Ninth & Tenth Aves). The limited 6-week engagement began Thursday, July 12th and the show is scheduled to perform through Sunday, August 19th. The Opening was Wednesday, July 25, 2018.
The performance schedule is as follows: Wednesdays at 2pm, Thursdays at 7pm, Fridays at 7 pm, Saturdays at 2 pm and 7pm, and Sundays at 3pm.
Tickets to My Life on a Diet -- priced at $65 ($75 premium seating) -- are now available online at MyLifeOnADietPlay.com or by calling Telecharge at (212) 239-6200.
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