The Minutes (play)
| The Minutes | |
|---|---|
 Logo for the Steppenwolf production | |
| Written by | Tracy Letts |
| Date premiered | November 9, 2017 |
| Place premiered | Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Setting | A city council meeting room in Big Cherry; November |
| https://theminutesbroadway.com/ | |
The Minutes is a comedic play written by Tracy Letts. It had its premiere at the Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago on November 9, 2017 and began previews at the Cort Theatre in New York City on February 25, 2020. It was scheduled to open on March 15, 2020 but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, production was suspended. The production now plans to open on March 15, 2022 at Studio 54.
In 2018, Letts was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, losing to Cost of Living by Martyna Majok.
Premise[]
The show takes place in November and shows the inner-workings of a city council meeting in the fictional town of Big Cherry.
Production history[]
Chicago premiere[]
The play premiered at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago on November 9, 2017. The production was directed by Anna D. Shapiro and featured a cast made up of Ian Barford, Penny Slusher, Kevin Anderson, James Vincent Meredith, Cliff Chamberlain, William Petersen, Danny McCarthy, Brittany Burch, Francis Guinan, Sally Murphy, and Jeff Still. It featured design work from David Zinn (scenic), Ann Roth (costume), and Brian MacDevitt (lighting), André Pluess (sound), and Tom Watson (hair and wigs).[1] The production closed on December 31, 2017 with plans to transfer the production to New York City.
Upcoming Broadway production[]
The production transferred to the Cort Theater and began previews on February 20, 2020. The design team and several members of the cast from the Chicago production signed on, though Slusher was replaced with Blair Brown, Chamberlain assumed Anderson's role and was replaced with Armie Hammer, Meredith was replaced with K. Todd Freeman, Petersen was replaced with Tracy Letts (also the playwright), Burch was replaced with Jessie Mueller, and Guinan was replaced with Austin Pendleton.[2] The production planned to officially open on March 15, 2020 but, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, production was suspended indefinitely.
On November 16, 2020, the production unloaded from the Cort Theater and announced that it would be moving to a different Broadway theater, with plans to open on March 15, 2022.[3] In June 2021, it was reported that The Minutes would resume performances in March 2022 at Studio 54 with an official opening night on April 7.[4] The entire cast from the 2020 previews will return except for Hammer, who will be replaced by Noah Reid.[5]
Notable casts[]
| Character | Chicago Premiere 2017 |
Original Broadway[6] 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Mr. Carp | Ian Barford | |
| Ms. Innes | Penny Slusher | Blair Brown |
| Mr. Breeding | Kevin Anderson | Cliff Chamberlain |
| Mr. Blake | James Vincent Meredith | K. Todd Freeman |
| Mr. Peel | Cliff Chamberlain | Noah Reid[5] |
| Mayor Superba | William Petersen | Tracy Letts |
| Mr. Hanratty | Danny McCarthy | |
| Ms. Johnson | Brittany Burch | Jessie Mueller |
| Mr. Oldfield | Francis Guinan | Austin Pendleton |
| Ms. Matz | Sally Murphy | |
| Mr. Assalone | Jeff Still | |
Awards and nominations[]
Original Chicago production[]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | The Pulitzer Prize | Pulitzer Prize for Drama | Tracy Letts | Nominated |
External links[]
References[]
- ^ "The Minutes - 2017 Chicago Tickets, News, Info, Photos, Videos". www.broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
- ^ "The Minutes – Broadway Play – Original | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
- ^ "Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Finalist 'The Minutes' Sets Post-COVID 2022 Broadway Reopening, Plans Venue Switch". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
- ^ Meyer, Dan (June 22, 2021). "The Minutes Finds a New Home on Broadway at Studio 54". Playbill. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
- ^ a b "Schitt's Creek Star Noah Reid Will Make Broadway Debut in The Minutes". www.playbill.com. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
- ^ "The Minutes Original Broadway Cast - 2020 Broadway". www.broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
- 2017 plays
- Broadway plays
- Comedy plays
- Plays by Tracy Letts