Bay Street’s “The Prompter” is a Smash Hit!

Bay Street Theater has launched their 2019 Mainstage Season with a World Premiere of the full-length, one-act comedy, “The Prompter,” starring the award-winning actress, Tovah Feldshuh and the playwright himself, Wade Dooley.

“The Prompter” was part of last year’s Title Wave @ Bay Street: The 5th Annual New Works Festival, and it received such a positive response from the audience that a full-scale production was commissioned.

Under the astute direction of Scott Schwartz, the Artistic Director of Bay Street, this comedy received a well-deserved standing ovation after Saturday’s opening night performance.

Tovah Feldshuh gives a stellar performance as Irene Young, the aging diva, who doesn’t want anyone to ever know her age, so much so, that she won’t even publicly acknowledge her own 50-year-old son. Ms. Feldshuh part was demanding in many ways. Not only did she have to portray a woman decades older than herself, but she had to master a West Virginia accent, and she had to be able to switch accents on a dime as she portrayed other characters she enacted throughout the play. She delivered her lines with perfect comedic timing, and her facial expressions and body language further added to her remarkable, must-see performance.

The plot is relatively simple and revolves around Ms. Young and how after a four-decades-long absence from Broadway, she’s given a chance to make a big comeback in a play called “Ernest.” When it becomes apparent she can’t do it alone, the production hires a young actor wannabe, Wade, to be her prompter. But, this play isn’t really Irene Young's story at all. It’s the playwright’s story, one that is based on his real-life experience.

Wade Dooley’s two-character play is well crafted and an interesting glimpse at the behind-the-scenes drama that surrounds a Broadway production. As an actor, Mr. Wade is charismatic, energetic, and versatile. He is a great physical comic and his onstage antics generated many a belly laugh throughout the evening.

Julia Motyka and Adam Petherbridge were outstanding as the voices of the various offstage characters. These offstage characters added depth and variety to the overall script.

The remarkable creative team includes: Kevin Depinet, with his innovative set design, Mike Billings (Lighting Design), Tracy Christensen (Costume Design), Jon Weston (Sound Design), J.Jared Janas (Wig, Hair and Makeup Design), Andrew Diaz (Props Design), Denise Yaney (Stage Manager) and Binder Casting (Casting).

Well-staged, well-acted, and well-crafted, Bay Street’s world premiere of “The Prompter,” is well-worth seeing.

The play runs from now until June 16th. Single tickets are on sale now, or tickets can be purchased now as part of the 3-play subscription package for the 2019 Mainstage Season. Call the Box Office at 631-725-9500; open daily 11 am – showtime or log on to baystreet.org for more information.

Cindi Sansone-Braff is an award-winning playwright, and the author of two spiritual self-help books, "Grant Me a Higher Love," and "Why Good People Can't Leave Bad Relationships." Her full-length romantic comedy, "Angel's Mice and Men," will have its world premiere at the Hudson Guild Theater as part of the NY Summerfest 2019 Theater Festival on July 30,31,and August 3. http://newyorktheaterfestival.com/angels-mice-and-men/