Actress Edie Falco stole the show from funnyman Ben Stiller during the official opening of their Broadway play The House Of Blue Leaves on Monday.
In the Broadway revival, Stiller plays a zookeeper and aspiring songwriter named Artie Shaughnessy who struggles to balance a life with his schizophrenic wife Bananas, played by The Sopranos' Edie Falco, and his mistress Bunny, portrayed by Jennifer Jason Leigh.
Although the Zoolander actor was cast as the star, Falco has won over critics, garnering significant praise for what a New York Times reviewer called a "transfixing" performance in a play that "sinks".
New York Daily News writer Joe Dziemianowicz complimented Stiller for his hidden talents, proclaiming he "plays piano and sings impressively", while Terry Teachout of the Wall Street Journal insisted Falco is "definitely the star of this show".
Stiller has close personal ties to the show - he played his character's son Ronnie in its 1986 run at New York's Lincoln Center and his mother, Anne Meara, starred as Bunny in the first production of the play back in 1971.
In the Broadway revival, Stiller plays a zookeeper and aspiring songwriter named Artie Shaughnessy who struggles to balance a life with his schizophrenic wife Bananas, played by The Sopranos' Edie Falco, and his mistress Bunny, portrayed by Jennifer Jason Leigh.
Although the Zoolander actor was cast as the star, Falco has won over critics, garnering significant praise for what a New York Times reviewer called a "transfixing" performance in a play that "sinks".
New York Daily News writer Joe Dziemianowicz complimented Stiller for his hidden talents, proclaiming he "plays piano and sings impressively", while Terry Teachout of the Wall Street Journal insisted Falco is "definitely the star of this show".
Stiller has close personal ties to the show - he played his character's son Ronnie in its 1986 run at New York's Lincoln Center and his mother, Anne Meara, starred as Bunny in the first production of the play back in 1971.
- 4/26/2011
- WENN
In the Broadway revival, Ben Stiller plays a zookeeper and aspiring songwriter named Artie Shaughnessy who struggles to balance a life with his schizophrenic wife Bananas, played by "The Sopranos"' Edie Falco, and his mistress Bunny, portrayed by Jennifer Jason Leigh.
Although the "Zoolander" actor was cast as the star, Falco has won over critics, garnering significant praise for what a New York Times reviewer called a "transfixing" performance in a play that "sinks".
New York Daily News writer Joe Dziemianowicz complimented Stiller for his hidden talents, proclaiming he "plays piano and sings impressively", while Terry Teachout The House Of Blue Leaves the Wall Street Journal insisted Falco is "definitely the star of this show".
Stiller has close personal ties to the show - he played his character's son Ronnie in its 1986 run at New York's Lincoln Center and his mother, Anne Meara, starred as Bunny in the first...
Although the "Zoolander" actor was cast as the star, Falco has won over critics, garnering significant praise for what a New York Times reviewer called a "transfixing" performance in a play that "sinks".
New York Daily News writer Joe Dziemianowicz complimented Stiller for his hidden talents, proclaiming he "plays piano and sings impressively", while Terry Teachout The House Of Blue Leaves the Wall Street Journal insisted Falco is "definitely the star of this show".
Stiller has close personal ties to the show - he played his character's son Ronnie in its 1986 run at New York's Lincoln Center and his mother, Anne Meara, starred as Bunny in the first...
- 4/26/2011
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Ben Stiller has a lot of family and personal history to draw from as he prepares to star in The House Of Blue Leaves on Broadway - his mother created one of the lead characters 40 years ago and he got his big break in the play.
The funnyman hits the stage opposite Edie Falco and Jennifer Jason Leigh in John Guare's black comedy in the spring and he admits the production means a lot to him.
He explains, "My mother was in the original production in 1971, as Bunny Flingus, and the first job I ever got in 1985 was playing the son, Ronnie Shaughnessy, in the play.
"So now, to come back and play the father Artie Shaughnessy, it's kind of come full circle in that way. My relationship with John has been so long; I'm looking forward to it. It's something I never really thought about doing until the idea got presented to me. I really am a fan of the director and I'm excited to delve into it."...
The funnyman hits the stage opposite Edie Falco and Jennifer Jason Leigh in John Guare's black comedy in the spring and he admits the production means a lot to him.
He explains, "My mother was in the original production in 1971, as Bunny Flingus, and the first job I ever got in 1985 was playing the son, Ronnie Shaughnessy, in the play.
"So now, to come back and play the father Artie Shaughnessy, it's kind of come full circle in that way. My relationship with John has been so long; I'm looking forward to it. It's something I never really thought about doing until the idea got presented to me. I really am a fan of the director and I'm excited to delve into it."...
- 12/22/2010
- WENN
Actress Jennifer Jason Leigh is returning to Broadway to star alongside Ben Stiller in a revival of The House Of Blue Leaves.
The Single White Female star, who split from her director husband Noah Baumbach last month, will head to New York next year to join the dark comedy, about a frustrated zookeeper who dreams of finding fame as a songwriter.
Leigh, who made her debut on the New York stage in a 1998 production of musical Cabaret, will also join Eddie Falco in the cast of the David Cromer production.
Previews will begin on 4 April at the Walter Kerr Theater and officially open on 25 April.
The Single White Female star, who split from her director husband Noah Baumbach last month, will head to New York next year to join the dark comedy, about a frustrated zookeeper who dreams of finding fame as a songwriter.
Leigh, who made her debut on the New York stage in a 1998 production of musical Cabaret, will also join Eddie Falco in the cast of the David Cromer production.
Previews will begin on 4 April at the Walter Kerr Theater and officially open on 25 April.
- 12/6/2010
- WENN
Jennifer Jason Leigh has been set to join Ben Stiller and Edie Falco in the Broadway revival of The House Of Blue Leaves, the John Guare play that will be directed by David Cromer. Scott Rudin is producing, with previews to begin April 4 and opening night is April 25 at the Walter Kerr Theatre on Broadway. Leigh, who made her Broadway debut in Cabaret and also starred in Proof, will play Bunny Flingus the mistress of Artie Shaughnessy (Stiller). Cromer is coming off Our Town... While The Scottsboro Boys ends its Broadway run on December 12 at the Lyceum Theatre, there are flickers of hope that the last collaboration between songwriting legends John Kander and Fred Ebb will have a feature future. I'm told that Oscar-nominated Precious director Lee Daniels has seen the show several times and is in early conversations to develop it. Now, Daniels is in hot demand, and he...
- 12/3/2010
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
According to Deadline.com, both Edie Falco and Ben Stiller will be joining the Broadway revival of John Guare's of The House Of Blue Leaves. The production, which is to open in the Spring, will play at the Walter Kerr Theatre. Stiller will play Artie Shaughnessy, a zookeeper who dreams of being a songwriter, and Falco his schizophrenic wife named 'Bananas'.
- 9/30/2010
- BroadwayWorld.com
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