NEW YORK — Billy Crystal is planning to bring “Mr. Saturday Night” to Broadway.
The Emmy, Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning comedic icon wills tar in a theatrical musical based on his 1992 film about the rise and fall of a borscht-belt comedian Buddy Young Jr.
Set to start performances at New York City’s Nederlander Theatre on March 1, the John Rando-helmed production will feature a score by Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown and lyrics by Amanda Green.
Crystal recently performed a limited engagement of the show at the Barrington Stage Company in Massachusetts.
The 73-year-old Hollywood veteran wrote the stage adaptation with his film’s co-writers, Lowell Ganz and Marc “Babaloo” Mandel.
He will star opposite Tony Award-winner Randy Graff, Chasten Harmon and David Paymer, who will recreate his Oscar-nominated performance as Buddy’s brother, Stan Yankelman.
Crystal co-wrote, directed and starred in the original film, which also starred Julie Warner, Helen Hunt and Ron Silver.
The “Soap” alum, who hosted the Academy Awards nine times, made his Broadway debut in 2004 with the box office smash “700 Sundays.” The autobiographical one-man show won a Tony Award for Special Theatrical Event in 2005 and was later filmed for an HBO special in 2014.
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