Going behind the curtain on Broadway with BU alums
Photo by Greg Mills. Pictured, from left to right are BU alums Jillian Oliver, David Lurie-Perret, John Zdrojeski, Greg Bird, and Alex Wyse
Going behind the curtain on Broadway with BU alums
From the cast to design to production, eight BU alums are involved with Good Night, Oscar starring Sean Hayes at the Belasco Theatre
The lauded Good Night, Oscar by Doug Wright and directed by Lisa Peterson on Broadway at the Belasco Theatre is described as a “tour de force,” and “hysterically funny as it is heartbreaking.” Among its accolades, including a Tony win for Sean Hayes (Best Actor), a notable aspect of the play is that not one, not two, but eight Boston University alums are involved in the production.
From the cast – Alex Wyse (CFA’09), playing the role of Max Weinbaum, and John Zrodjeski (CFA’12), playing George Gershwin – to design, production, and management: David Lurie-Perret (CFA’01), Production Stage Manager; Ken Elliot (CFA’00), Associate Lighting Designer; Ana Rose Green (CFA’04), Production Manager; Jillian Oliver (CFA’06), Stage Manager; Greg Bird (CFA’14) Deck Automation; and Alex Brandwine (CFA’09), Advance Carpenter, Terriers are bringing the show to life.
The new Broadway play stars Emmy Award winner Sean Hayes (“Will & Grace”, “SmartLess”) as the irrepressible Oscar Levant. “Set in 1958, with Jack Paar hosting the hottest late-night talk-show on television. His favorite guest? Character actor, pianist, and wild card Oscar Levant. Famous for his witty one-liners, Oscar has a favorite: ‘There’s a fine line between genius and insanity; I have erased this line.’ Oscar will prove just that when he appears live on national TV in an episode that Paar’s audience—and the rest of America—won’t soon forget.” (goodnightoscar.com)
The play “explores the nexus of humor and heartbreak, the ever-dwindling distinction between exploitation and entertainment, and the high cost of baring one’s soul for public consumption.”
Alex Wyse (top left, bottom right), playing the role of Max Weinbaum, and John Zrodjeski (top right, bottom left) as George Gershwin, performing opposite Sean Hayes in Good Night, Oscar. Photos by Joan Marcus
CFA spoke with David Lurie-Perret, the Production Stage Manager of Good Night, Oscar, about what it takes to bring a Broadway show to audiences every day, why this one is so special, and the wide world of BU alums in all corners of theatre. At the heart of it all is the spirit of collaboration that makes it all possible. The conversation has been lightly edited for clarity.
CFA: Tell us about your role as Production Stage Manager.
Lurie-Perret: I feel the main role of the Production Stage Manager is to facilitate the needs and actions of the creative team, company and producers. This includes scheduling – fittings, actor site visits, dialect sessions, music sessions, rehearsals, communicating and noting all elements of the production in order to keep the artistic integrity intact.
CFA: What kind of skills do you find are essential to your work?
Lurie-Perret: I find that my soft skills are more essential than the hard skills. I can make paperwork, I can send an email, yet at the core of my work are the people that I collaborate with daily. Patience assists me most and listening and empathy amplify that practice – it’s not just paying attention to the bad stuff like disciplinary actions, injuries, etc., it’s focusing on the good stuff too like problem solving or working to realign an acting moment.
CFA: What’s special for audiences about the story of Good Night, Oscar?
Lurie-Perret: Good Night, Oscar not only reconnects the audience to a different time with the same issues surrounding mental health, drug abuse, it also reflects how fame can be exploited to make these issues worse.
CFA: What did you study at BU? Any fond memories or faculty who had a lasting impact?
Lurie-Perret: I studied Stage Management. I have so many [memories]: Jim Spruill talking about relations between actors and stage managers. I still use teachings from Maryanne Verheyen’s Intro to Design Class in my daily life. And, of course, Roger Meeker…he taught me that it’s possible to have fun at work.
CFA: How did all of the BU connections behind this production come to light?
Lurie-Perret: A few of us were at BU at the same time! I was at BU with Ken, and Ana Rose and Jillian overlapped. Alex Wyse and Alex Brandwine graduated the same year. Greg and John were at BU at the same time. When you’re in production, you end up spending a lot of time together – and you figure it out.
CFA: Have you collaborated much with fellow BU Terriers on other projects since you graduated?
Lurie-Perret: I have, nearly on every production! I was the recipient of the Faye Stone Internship award – and spent a season as the Production and Stage Management Intern at the Huntington [Theatre Company] after graduation where I worked with current students and alums all the time. It was at the Huntington where Jillian and I first worked together – and we’re still working together today.
Good Night, Oscar starring Sean Hayes, written by Doug Wright and directed by Lisa Peterson, opened at the Belasco Theatre on Broadway on Monday, April 24, 2023. Learn more at goodnightoscar.com.
The School of Theatre at Boston University College of Fine Arts offers a progressive studio model of education for the study of acting, stage management, design, production, and all aspects of the theatre profession within the setting of a major research university. The School of Theatre seeks to provide students with opportunities for artistic growth through a rigorous curriculum, professional connections, and an emphasis on collaboration and new work. Learn more at bu.edu/cfa/theatre.