What Do Reviews Say About Off-Broadway’s SNL-Themed Not Ready for Prime Time?
Written by Erik J. Rodriguez and Charles A. Sothers, the unauthorized play tracks the beginnings of Saturday Night Live.
Taylor Richardson and Kristian Lugo in Not Ready for Prime Time
Russ Rowland
Not Ready for Prime Time, Erik J. Rodriguez and Charles A. Sothers’ unauthorized new play tracking the early days of long-running NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, began performances Off-Broadway October 5, and Playbill has a first look at the show.
Playing the Newman Mills Theater at the Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space, the production is set to open October 20. Set in 1975, the play is the first stage dramatization of SNL’s origins. Directed by Conor Bagley, the production stars Ian Bouillion (Prime Target) as Lorne Michaels, Ryan Crout as John Belushi, Jared Grimes (Funny Girl) as Garrett Morris, Caitlin Houlahan (Girl From The North County, Waitress) as Jane Curtin, Nate Janis as Bill Murray, Kristian Lugo (Watcher) as Dan Ackroyd, Woodrow Proctor as Chevy Chase, Taylor Richardson (The Gilded Age) as Laraine Newman, and Evan Rubin (House of Dynamite) as Gilda Radner.
Read the reviews below.
New York Theatre Guide (Kyle Turner)
TheaterMania (Zachary Stewart)
Times Square Chronicles (Suzanna Bowling)
*This review may require creating a free account or a paid subscription.
Playbill will continue to update this list as reviews come in.
Understudies for the production include Gilbert L. Bailey II (Beetlejuice), Jacob Millman (Singfeld), and Jake Roberson. Casting is by Stephen DeAngelis.
The production features scenic design by Justin Swader and Christopher Swader, costume design by Sarita P. Fellows, lighting design by Mextly Couzin, sound design by Liam Bellman-Sharpe, prop design by Samantha Shoffner, and dramaturgy by Fareeda Pasha. James “Fitz” FitzSimmons serves as production stage manager, with Cyrille Blackburn and Alexandrea Hess Rodriguez as assistant stage managers.
Though being performed at MCC Theater’s space, Not Ready for Prime Time is not an MCC production. Producers are also being clear that the play is not affiliated with SNL in any official capacity.
Tickets are at NotReadyForPrimeTimePlay.com.