BROADWAY BOUND — The cast of Neil Simon’s Broadway Bound, opening at the Magic Circle Theater in Montrose Nov. 12, took a break this week during dress rehearsal to ham it up for the camera. Seated, from left, are Bethany Ward, Sandy Lundberg and Darlene Fullerton. Standing, from left, are Mark Smith, Niko Nelson, Jim Delman, Dalyn Pearson and Jim Hougnon. (Photo by Beverly Corbell)
The play centers around two brothers, Eugene and Stanley Jerome, who pursue their dreams to become writers for the Broadway stage, and all their family interactions.
Snyder said he is dedicating the production to his own brother, Rick Snyder, who died in May of last year.
“That’s one of the main reasons I’m doing this show, because the main focus is the two brothers’ relationship,” he said.
This is Snyder’s directorial debut at Magic Circle, although he’s directed before and has been in many Magic Circle plays.
Because it’s his first time to direct at the theater, Snyder chose veteran Magic Circle actors to make up the cast.
“I’m thrilled with them and it makes it easier,” he said. “That’s why I chose veterans, to help me along the way.”
Snyder has plenty of other help, he said.
“I couldn’t have done it alone and have a great assistant director, Kathy Murdoch,” he said. “She’s been a lot of help from production management to creative decisions.”
Casting the play was done a little differently for this play, Snyder said. Instead of an open casting call, auditions were held one-on-one.
According to Magic Circle publicist Carol McDermott, the play is typical Simon, with interactions among family influences that reflect his own life, “complete with humor, drama and enduring sentiment.”
Broadway Bound is about a working class Brooklyn first-generation family of American Jews looking for new opportunities in post-World War II America.
“The Jerome parents, Kate and Jack, face marital struggles,” McDermott wrote. “Grandpa Ben is a socialist, while his daughter, Blanche, marries a rich capitalist. Each family member is woven into the fiber of Eugene and becomes the fabric of his life as an American playwright. Eugene and Stanley catch their dream and become great comedy writers for radio, television, motion pictures, and, of course, the Broadway stage.”
The plays stars Niko Nelson as Eugene, Dalyn Pearson as Stanley, Sandy Lundberg as Kate and Mark Smith as Jack. Jim Delman plays Grandpa Ben and Bethany Ward plays Blanche. Jim Hougnon appears as both the radio announcer and Chubby Waters, a radio personality, and Darlene Fullerton plays Mrs. Pitkin.
Snyder, who works for Telluride Express, said he has been acting since 2008 and considers himself a “theater enthusiast,” especially when it comes to Simon’s plays.
“I love Neil Simon and his skill at writing plays,” he said. “The way he mixes drama and comedy is incomparable.”
He has another reason for loving Broadway Bound, since he lived in New York City for 20 years.
“The play is set in Brooklyn, where I lived and worked and went to school,” he said.
Broadway Bound opens Nov. 12 with performances every Friday and Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. Matinee performances will be on Nov. 14 and 21 at 2 p.m.
Tickets for the general public go on sale Nov. 9 and can be bought online at www.magiccircleplayer.com or by calling 249-7838.
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