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The Man Who Came to Dinner American Airlines Theatre, 7/27/00 - 10/08/00
In this Broadway revival of Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman's comedy starring Tony Award-winning Broadway favorite Nathan Lane and Jean Smart, Lane is a pompous writer and critic forced to stay with a Midwestern family during the winter and thoroughly disrupts their well-ordered lives. The production christened Roundabout Theatre Company's new home at the American Airlines Theatre and was the first Broadway performance broadcast on PBS as part of their Stage On Film series. Jean received a Tony Nomination for her run as sexpot actress Lorraine Sheldon. "I've always liked the part of Lorraine," says Smart. "I remember watching my older sister in the part of Miss Preen in a school production when I was 13. It’s vivid in my mind. So when they said Nathan Lane, Lorraine Sheldon, Jerry Zaks -- whose direction just bowls me over -- I said, without a second thought, 'When do we start? I'm there.'" Smart, who also played Marlene Dietrich in the Broadway and television versions of Piaf, enjoys the theatrical glamour of the late 30s, when Dinner was first performed. "The hair, especially. It’s period hair, 'Ginger Rogers, Gal Reporter' hair.'" Reviews: "Jean Smart provided the real touch of class, holding the stage with her looks, poise and sense of rhythm as the glamorous Lorraine Sheldon." -- Laurence Vittes, The Hollywood Reporter "There is not a weak link in the large cast. My personal favorites include Jean Smart, whose Lorraine Sheldon gets every laugh with the utmost ease and efficiency." -- John Simon, New York Magazine "If you want to see great actors having the time of their lives playing their roles to the hilt - and letting the audience in on all the jokes - take a look at Byron Jennings, Lewis J. Stadlen, and Jean Smart. (Fair warning: Jean Smart delivers a hilarious coup de grace during the final bows which will destroy whatever composure you have left.)" -- Thomas Burke, Talkin' Broadway "The juiciest female part belongs to Jean Smart. She lives up to her name as the glamorous, social climbing Lorraine Sheldon. And she looks every bit the late 30s vamp!" -- Elyse Sommer, Curtain Up "...But Dinner belongs to Jean Smart, costarring as drama diva Lorraine Sheldon ("They do say she set fire to her mother..."). When has a production NOT belonged to Designing Women's Smart, really, from her Oscar-deserving turn in Guinevere to her hilarious Emmy-nominated TV guest spot for last season's Frasier? While Byron Jennings (as Coward-like Beverly Carlton) and Lewis J. Stadlen (as Harpo-esque Banjo) do easy-to-love caricatures, Smart sweeps across the stage, in a swanning demonstration of ultimate showbiz phoniness. That she gleefully, surely steals this charming bandbox production is only right: Isn't that always how summer-stock stars make it big on Broadway?" -- Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
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