All Star Line Up for Terrence McNally's 'It's Only A Play'

A Broadway revival of Terrence McNally's comedy It's Only a Play will open at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on 9 October 2014, following previews from 4 September 2014 and booking through 4 Jan 2015.

The cast will include Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham, Tony Award winner Matthew Broderick, Tony Award winner Stockard Channing, Tony Award winner Nathan Lane, Emmy Award winner Megan Mullally, and Micah Stock, with additional casting to be announced. The production will be directed by Jack O'Brien.

Terrence McNally is a four-time Tony Award winning playwright, currently represented on Broadway with Mothers and Sons at the Golden Theatre. 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 (Nathan Lane), his fledgling producer (Megan Mullally), his erratic leading lady (Stockard Channing), 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.

Nathan Lane (James Wicker) most recently appeared on Broadway in 'The Nance'. Other Broadway credits include 'Merlin', 'The Wind in the Willows', 'Some Americans Abroad', 'On Borrowed Time', 'Guys and Dolls', 'Love! Valour! Compassion!', 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' (for which he won the Tony Award) 'The Man Who Came to Dinner', 'The Addams Family' and 'The Producers' alongside Matthew Broderick, for which he won the Tony, Drama Desk and Olivier Award.

Matthew Broderick (Peter Austin)was last seen on Broadway in 'Nice Work If You Can Get It'. Other Broadway credits include Neil Simon's 'The Odd Couple', 'You Can Count on Me' and 'The Producers'. He won his first Tony Award for 'Brighton Beach Memoirs', and his second for the 1995 revival of 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'. His most iconic film credits include 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off', 'The Cable Guy', 'Inspector Gadget' and 'The Stepford Wives'.

F. Murray Abraham has appeared in more than 80 films, including 'Amadeus', for which he received the Academy Award for Best Actor. He has appeared in more than 90 plays, among them Chekhov's 'Uncle Vanya', Susan Stroman's 'A Christmas Carol', the musical 'Triumph of Love' and 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.

Megan Mullally (Julia Budder) is best known for her role as 'Karen Walker' on 'Will & Grace', for which she was awarded two Emmy Awards. Other TV appearances include 'Parks and Recreation', 'Bob's Burgers', 'Web Therapy', and '30 Rock'. Her Broadway credits include 'Grease', 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying' (alongside Matthew Broderick) and 'Young Frankenstein'. She recently appeared Off-Broadway this spring with her husband Nick Offerman in 'Annapurna' at The New Group's Acorn theatre.

Stockard Channing (Virginia Noyes) has a wealth of Broadway and theatre experience, including 'Other Desert Cities', 'Six Degrees of Separation', 'Four Baboons Adoring the Sun', 'House of Blue Leaves', 'The Little Foxes', 'Hapgood', 'Pal Joey', 'Joe Egg', 'The Lion in Winter', 'Woman in Mind' and 'The Rink'. She is best known for creating the role of Rizzo on screen in 'Grease', and currently stars in the TV show 'The Good Wife'.

Tickets for It's Only a Play will go on sale to the general public on Thursday 12 June 2014.

- by Dom O'Hanlon