It's Only a Play cast changes: Nathan Lane & T.R. Knight

Original cast member and Tony Award winner Nathan Lane returns to the Broadway production of Terrence McNally's comedy It's Only a Play tonight, reprising his role as James Wicker, at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. He replaces Tony Award winner Martin Short, who played his final performance on 29 March 2015.

Joining Mr. Lane, and making his debut in the comedy, is Emmy nominee T.R. Knight, who assumes the role of Frank Finger from Maulik Pancholy. Mr. Pancholy also played his final performance on 29 March 2015.

Both Mr. Lane and Mr. Knight are expected to remain in the production until the end of its limited engagement on 7 June 2015.

Directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien, the final cast of It's Only a Play includes F. Murray Abraham (Ira Drew), Matthew Broderick (Peter Austin), Stockard Channing (Virginia Noyes), Katie Finneran (Julia Budder), T.R. Knight (Frank Finger), Nathan Lane (James Wicker), and Micah Stock (Gus P. Head).

It's Only a Play opened at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on 9 October 2014, following previews from 28 August, to mixed reviews, and transferred to its current home of the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre from 23 January 2015.

Synopsis: "The comedy is set on the opening night of Peter Austin's new play, as he anxiously awaits to see if his show is a hit. On the biggest night of his life, he shares this with his best friend, a television star, his fledgling producer, his erratic leading lady, his wunderkind director, an infamous drama critic, and a wide-eyed coat check attendant. It's Only a Play is a Broadway comedy about the comedy of Broadway."

The creative team of It's Only a Play features scenic design by Scott Pask, costumes by Ann Roth, lighting by Philip Rosenberg, and sound design by Fitz Patton.

It's Only a Play is produced on Broadway by Tom Kirdahy, Roy Furman, Ken Davenport, Hunter Arnold, Morris Berchard and Susan Dietz, Caiola Productions, Carl Daikeler, Jim Fantaci, Wendy Federman, Barbara Freitag and Loraine Alterman Boyle, Hugh Hayes, Jim Herbert, Ricardo F. Hornos, Stephanie Kramer, LAMS Productions, Scott Landis, Mark Lee and Ed Filipowski, Harold Newman, Roy Putrino, Sanford Robertson, Tom Smedes and Peter Stern, and Brian Cromwell Smith.

- by Tom Millward