Matthew Broderick Flubs 'The Starry Messenger' Preview, Play Opening Delayed

NEW YORK — Look for "The Starry Messenger" to arrive off-Broadway later than originally planned.

The new play starring Matthew Broderick has pushed back its opening by a week after a problem-plagued first preview that included its star needing a prompter in the front row to assist him with his lines.

Messages posted on various theater Web sites said the actor called out nearly a dozen times for lines during the Monday performance of the three-hour play written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan.

New Group artistic director Scott Elliott says "The Starry Messenger" will now open Nov. 23.

The play about an astronomy teacher's affair with a younger woman had been scheduled to open Nov. 16 at the small Acorn Theatre on 42nd Street.

Comments

[ChrisRose]

This is (not) it!

[ReelBusy]

You don't charge an audience to watch your rehearsals.

[jcwtts1]

doesn't he have twin 6 month olds... do you honestly think he is getting and sleep at home..

[Agentlady007]

This makes me so mad. Why does he have to be in another play so soon after the little wibblies are brought home? Can't he be a daddy for a while and just that?
I think his next move should be a movie. This play thing is a little played out I feel. He needs to tell Broadway he's going back to the silver screen for a while. I miss him on the big sceen and the theater circuit is fine and all but, let's face it, it's only as good as your last performance. It's silly he keeps staying on stage. Sarah is selfish not to tell him to act in movies. It's not like she can't get a nanny while he is working on a set. I think after kindergarden he should sign a few film deals. IMHO.

[MsMsBurning]

Bueller? Bueller?

[cocolola]

Give him a break. So he flubbed a little

[Ventoi]

I don't know if you were a part of the SEARCH FOR ENLIGHTENMENT
and fairness in JUDGEMENT and PUNISHMENT­...

but when we were doing it...
some of us were putting spirits back...
wandering pieces of 'us'...

when they turned up
'out around'

we figured that if other people could go around with pieces of us
from younger years..
and look younger
and be quicker...

then we should be allowed to do the same
we have since x-nayed that
and just erase the stragglers and carry on...

one of your spirits...
may have been misallocated at that guy who works with Charlie Sheen on that
filthy dirty show.

[NYCforObama]

Isn't this what theatre previews are for? Who's to say there haven't been major changes in script, etc...?

[jjgg5]

This isn't very professional.

[victorvelasco]

Time to take a day off

[RSKaz]

At least he wasn't driving.

[Agentlady007]

OMG, Do you not know of forgiveness? I pray for your soul to be forgiven one day.

[RSKaz]

Never forgive. Never forget. Especially in comedy.

BTW. Save your prayers. I'm an atheist.

[mphalen]

What do you expect? He is now a father with twins at home. I'm sure he is up at night with the twins. And combined with his older child, he is just a busy, sleep deprived father. Maybe he should hire a nanny or two.
Oh, sorry I forgot that he has the money for household help. Never mind.

[dgsweet]

I have seen Broderick do terrific work in a number of plays, musicals and films. I'm a playwright and would be pleased to have him in my stuff.

The performance in question was clearly labeled as a preview. Previews are by definition unfinished. People going to previews know they're likely to see things go wrong, lines forgotten, props misplaced, over-writing. You go to a preview in order to participate in the process. If you don't want to see something raw and in a state of being found, don't go.

And certainly don't post accounts of it online. Previews should be a time of courtesy allowing the creators the chance to work on the show undistracted by online chatter. Plays used to go out of town to find themselves. Alas, the system that supported out-of-town commercial tryouts is long dead, but it served the American theatre well. And part of what worked was that very little of what was happening out of town drifted into the public sphere.

If you care about the theatre -- as opposed to being the first person to arrive online to post something snide -- back off. Refrain from public comment until a show opens. An opening is a signal that a piece is fair game for being batted about in the press and other media.

Really, if you care about the theatre, why engage in habits that make it more difficult for the artists to do good work?

[BigCheese]

Dream on.

[ReelBusy]

I'm sure DGSweet wouldn't care if Matthew was flubbing his words on stage on Broadway.
Playwrights don't care about that sort of thing at all.

[tqcobb]

Thanks for educating the masses about our process; I'm a professional actor in my hometown and have always been frustrated by the public's lack of knowledge and appreciation for our craft. Matthew and the production will be more than fine

[mairs]

Do shows usually delay opening by a week because the lead isn't ready?

[tqcobb]

Usually, when it happens, its because of some type of physical issue (injury, illness, etc)

[sweetwilly]

i saw thoroughly modern millie in previews, and a part of the set got stuck or fell down (can't remember). the way the cast handled it just added to the charm. previews are great if you are interested in a work in progress. it can be more fun and interesting than the finished product.

[old lady]

Are preview tickets heavily discounted? Used to be previews were the place to work out the script, not the performance.

[YankinCanada]

Matthew couldn't act his way out of a closet.

[oceanofconsciousness]

Ouch. :)

[llisa]

I agree. He is more of a line-sayer than an actor. And if he can't even say the lines---well. . . .

[Agentlady007]

S H U T U P

[lukebenward]

Governator Schwarzenegger Gives California Legislature A Hidden Finger

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=6olctl&s=4

lmao Only in California!!! ;-)