Mothers and Sons Shutters Two Weeks Early, 22 Jun 2014

The Broadway production of Terrence McNally's Mothers and Sons has posted early closing notices at the John Golden Theatre. The play will now have its final performance at the Sunday 22nd June 2014 matinee. It was previously booking to 6th July 2014.

At the time of its closing, Mothers and Sons will have played 33 preview performances and 104 regular performances. The show was nominated for 2 Tony Awards, but failed to take home any at the 68th Annual Awards Ceremony held on Sunday 8 June 2014.

The play opened to mainly negative reviews, with many praising the performance of Tyne Daley, but picking faults with the writing: "Sincere but frustrating drama about family and fear" (NY Daily News); "[it] lacks the structural backbone to make [it] compelling"(Hollywood Reporter); "There's no cohesion to the material and no point to the plot."(Variety).

Mothers and Sons had its world premiere at Bucks County Playhouse in Pennsylvania, where it played from 13 - 23 Jun 2013. The production was directed by Sheryl Kaller and starred Tyne Daly as 'Katharine.' The four member cast also starred Manoel Felciano, Bobby Steggert and Grayson Taylor.

The Broadway production is produced on Broadway by Tom Kirdahy, Paula Wagner & Debbie Bisno, and Alan and Barbara Marks & Wade Turnbull. It stars Tyne Daly (Katharine Gerard), Bobby Steggert (Will Ogden) and Frederick Weller (Cal Porter). It opened on Broadway on 24 March 2014, following previews from 23 Feb 2014.

McNally's play is a "timely and provocative work that explores our evolving understanding of family in today's world." It portrays a woman who pays an unexpected visit to the New York apartment of her late son's partner, who is now married to another man and has a young son. Challenged to face how society has changed around her, generations collide as she revisits the past and begins to see the life her son might have led. The production marked the playwrights 20th Broadway production and 50th year on Broadway.

The producers also announced today that they are in discussions to bring the piece on a national tour with further details to be announced at a later date.

- by Dom O'Hanlon