The Longacre Theatre opened its doors earlier this week to a raunchy comedy about the Adult Film Awards. However, according to Mark Kennedy of the Associated Press, the show just isn’t going to work out. As of Thursday night, just one night after the show’s opening, producers have pulled the plug. Kennedy says, “It was a new, brave and profane show set in the world of porn that had been building some word of mouth interest.” Unfortunately, on top of the negative reviews, the hurricane that struck New York City only added to the show’s demise, throwing the producers for a loop.
” The Performers,” a comedy by David West Read, centers around two couples meeting at the awards show. As described by David Rooney of the Hollywood Reporter, “the comedy is basically a collision of two couples that forces them to re-examine their attitudes toward sex, monogamy and commitment.” Among the cast are Cheyenne Jackson, Ari Graynor, Daniel Breaker, Jenni Barber, Alicia Silverstone, and Henry Winkler. The comedy is directed by Evan Cabnet, who previously directed an off-Broadway production of “The Dream of the Burning Boy” last year.
The cast is comprised of a talented group of experienced actors. Cheyenne Jackson, who plays Mandrew, has acted in many musicals, including “Xanadu” and “All Shook Up,” and has been seen on the hit TV show 30 Rock. Jackson enjoys the storyline of this show and was excited to do something outside of the box. “I want to be like Barbra Streisand and Bette Midler — people who can do every genre,” Jackson said.
Preparing to play a porn star was difficult. Jackson had to be on a strict diet and exercise routine. As director Cabnet told Mark Kennedy with the San Fransisco Chronicle, “no one in American theater looks better in their underwear than that guy.” In addition to his stage experiences, Jackson is also currently filming an HBO special and two indie films. He is also working on a debut CD, which he hopes to release in the spring.
The show has not yet received any raving reviews. So far it has been described as “a so-so Broadway boulevard comedy with a generous dose of raunch,” by David Rooney of the Hollywood Reporter, and a “limp comedy” by Joe Dziemianowicz of the New York Daily News. Ben Brantley, New York Times, said that there are the “most obscenities per minute of any play on Broadway.” And Scott Brown from New York Magazine did not enjoy the performance, saying “there’s not enough story even to sustain the show’s slender 90 minutes.”
It was not in the cards for this racy comedy, and the show will close its doors this Sunday. For theatergoers who want to give the show a shot there are five performances remaining — November 16 at 8 p.m., November 17 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and November 18 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
