The New Hollywood revolution was raging in 1971, and studios were rapidly transitioning from old-school leadership to boat-rocking up-and-comers who seemed to have the pulse of the Baby Boomer-driven counterculture. The age of star-studded mega-musicals and old-fashioned oaters was over; movies didn't necessarily need a serrated edge to slash into the zeitgeist, but even a weepie like Arthur Hiller's "Love Story" boasted a lived-in verisimilitude. These films, shorn of backlot artifice, were happening in the real world.
Young moviegoers weren't the only ones craving authenticity. John Schlesinger's "Midnight Cowboy" couldn't have been voted Best Picture of 1969 without significant support from gray-haired Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences members. This was a film that plunged viewers into the seamiest iteration of New York City ever captured by a studio movie, that dealt with issues of sex work and homosexuality so unflinchingly that the MPAA (now known as MPA) gave it an X-rating.
Young moviegoers weren't the only ones craving authenticity. John Schlesinger's "Midnight Cowboy" couldn't have been voted Best Picture of 1969 without significant support from gray-haired Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences members. This was a film that plunged viewers into the seamiest iteration of New York City ever captured by a studio movie, that dealt with issues of sex work and homosexuality so unflinchingly that the MPAA (now known as MPA) gave it an X-rating.
- 2/16/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Peter White, an alum of TV soaps All My Children and Love Is a Many Splendored Thing, has died at 86. All My Children costar Kathleen Noone told The Hollywood Reporter that White died of melanoma at home in Los Angeles on Wednesday. White, born in New York City in 1937 and trained at Yale School of Drama, got his start playing Jerry Ames on the CBS soap The Secret Storm from 1965 to 1966. In 1968, he starred in the original, off-Broadway production of the groundbreaking Mart Crowley play The Boys in the Band — which ran for more than 1,000 performances — and reprised his part in the 1970 film adaptation, directed by William Friedkin. (The play begat a Broadway revival in 2018 and a Netflix film with the revival cast.) On CBS’ Love Is a Many Splendored Thing, White played Dr. Sanford Hiller for more than 250 episodes in 1971. And on ABC’s All My Children, White played Lincoln Tyler,...
- 11/5/2023
- TV Insider
Peter White, who portrayed Linc Tyler on the ABC soap opera All My Children over four decades and starred in the original stage production and film adaptation of The Boys in the Band, has died. He was 86.
White died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles of melanoma, his All My Children castmate Kathleen Noone (Ellen Shepherd Dalton on the show) told The Hollywood Reporter.
White also played Arthur Cates, the attorney for Sable Colby (Stephanie Beacham), on the first two seasons of the ABC primetime soap The Colbys in 1985-86, and he recurred as the deceased doctor dad of the characters played by Swoosie Kurtz, Sela Ward, Patricia Kalember and Julianne Phillips on the 1991-96 NBC drama Sisters.
White first portrayed Lincoln Tyler, son of stern Pine Valley matriarch Phoebe Tyler (Ruth Warrick), from 1974-80 — he was the third actor in the role, starting with James Karen — then returned...
White died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles of melanoma, his All My Children castmate Kathleen Noone (Ellen Shepherd Dalton on the show) told The Hollywood Reporter.
White also played Arthur Cates, the attorney for Sable Colby (Stephanie Beacham), on the first two seasons of the ABC primetime soap The Colbys in 1985-86, and he recurred as the deceased doctor dad of the characters played by Swoosie Kurtz, Sela Ward, Patricia Kalember and Julianne Phillips on the 1991-96 NBC drama Sisters.
White first portrayed Lincoln Tyler, son of stern Pine Valley matriarch Phoebe Tyler (Ruth Warrick), from 1974-80 — he was the third actor in the role, starting with James Karen — then returned...
- 11/4/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
William Friedkin was an acclaimed American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He gained recognition for directing notable films such as “The French Connection” (1971) and “The Exorcist” (1973), the former of which earned him an Academy Award for Best Director. Friedkin’s filmography also includes “The Boys in the Band” (1970), “Sorcerer” (1977), “Cruising” (1980), “To Live and Die in L. . (1985), “Blue Chips” (1994), “Jade” (1995), “Rules of Engagement” (2000), “The Hunted” (2003), “Bug” (2006), and “Killer Joe” (2011).
In 1965, Friedkin relocated to Hollywood and released his debut feature film, “Good Times,” featuring Sonny and Cher. He continued to make artistic films, such as the adaptation of Mart Crowley’s “The Boys in the Band,” as well as “The Birthday Party,” based on an unpublished screenplay by Harold Pinter, which he adapted from his own play. However, Friedkin aimed to establish himself as a director of action and serious drama, exploring themes of crime, hypocrisy, the occult, and amorality within the...
In 1965, Friedkin relocated to Hollywood and released his debut feature film, “Good Times,” featuring Sonny and Cher. He continued to make artistic films, such as the adaptation of Mart Crowley’s “The Boys in the Band,” as well as “The Birthday Party,” based on an unpublished screenplay by Harold Pinter, which he adapted from his own play. However, Friedkin aimed to establish himself as a director of action and serious drama, exploring themes of crime, hypocrisy, the occult, and amorality within the...
- 8/7/2023
- by Movies Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
For the director who gave cinema the ultimate car chase in “The French Connection,” William Friedkin was remarkably at ease with films set in a single room, bringing several plays to the screen over the course of his career. The director — who died August 7 at age 87 — will have his final film screened out of competition in the Venice Film Festival next month, fittingly an adaptation of Herman Wouk’s play “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.”
Friedkin made his name (and won an Oscar) for “The French Connection,” followed immediately by the instantly iconic “The Exorcist,” but he never lost an abiding interest in live performance, even directing operas off and on for the last 25 years.
In fact, Friedkin was so taken with the 2004 Off-Broadway premiere of Tracy Letts’ play “Bug” that he phoned Letts directly to say he’d like to adapt it into a film — with star Michael Shannon. In one fell swoop,...
Friedkin made his name (and won an Oscar) for “The French Connection,” followed immediately by the instantly iconic “The Exorcist,” but he never lost an abiding interest in live performance, even directing operas off and on for the last 25 years.
In fact, Friedkin was so taken with the 2004 Off-Broadway premiere of Tracy Letts’ play “Bug” that he phoned Letts directly to say he’d like to adapt it into a film — with star Michael Shannon. In one fell swoop,...
- 8/7/2023
- by Mark Peikert
- Indiewire
William Friedkin, the Oscar-winning director of “The French Connection” and legend behind “The Exorcist,” has died at age 87. His death in Los Angeles was first reported by Variety, and the news was confirmed by Chapman University dean Stephen Galloway, a friend of Friedkin’s wife, former studio head Sherry Lansing.
Friedkin’s sensational 1971 “The French Connection” earned five Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Picture. Friedkin’s 1973 “The Exorcist” changed the game for horror, earning Best Picture and Director nominations.
Friedkin is regarded as a maverick of the New Hollywood school of filmmakers alongside the likes of Peter Bogdanovich and Francis Ford Coppola. His other features include his breakout “The Birthday Party,” “The Boys in the Band,” “Sorcerer,” “Cruising,” “To Live and Die in L.A,” “Bug,” and most recently “Killer Joe” — all films that garnered controversy in one way or another.
Friedkin’s latest film, “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,...
Friedkin’s sensational 1971 “The French Connection” earned five Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Picture. Friedkin’s 1973 “The Exorcist” changed the game for horror, earning Best Picture and Director nominations.
Friedkin is regarded as a maverick of the New Hollywood school of filmmakers alongside the likes of Peter Bogdanovich and Francis Ford Coppola. His other features include his breakout “The Birthday Party,” “The Boys in the Band,” “Sorcerer,” “Cruising,” “To Live and Die in L.A,” “Bug,” and most recently “Killer Joe” — all films that garnered controversy in one way or another.
Friedkin’s latest film, “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,...
- 8/7/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
The contest for Best Play Revival at this year’s Tony Awards is shaping up to be a true nail-biter, even in the nominations round of voting. Five of the eligible productions — “A Doll’s House,” “Death of a Salesman,” “Ohio State Murders,” “The Piano Lesson,” and “Topdog/Underdog” — all opened to excellent reviews, while a sixth contender, “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window,” just announced its opening on the last day of eligibility.
Of these six productions, four will earn nominations. Four of the six have also already closed, which would seem to give an advantage to “A Doll’s House” and “Sidney Brustein’s Window,” both of which will run through the Tony voting period. Do those two productions thus have an advantage in this top race? How often does a shuttered production actually win Best Revival?
The raw numbers alone clearly demonstrate that shows that are running through...
Of these six productions, four will earn nominations. Four of the six have also already closed, which would seem to give an advantage to “A Doll’s House” and “Sidney Brustein’s Window,” both of which will run through the Tony voting period. Do those two productions thus have an advantage in this top race? How often does a shuttered production actually win Best Revival?
The raw numbers alone clearly demonstrate that shows that are running through...
- 4/6/2023
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
The sextet of queens of Six and each of the three Lehman Brothers – or rather the performers in the Broadway roles – may compete in the Tony Awards’ lead acting categories this year, Tony administrators announced today.
The decision to consider the individual members of those ensemble casts was among the first set of eligibility rulings made for the 2021-2022 season. The Tony Awards Administration Committee met yesterday in the first of the several eligibility meetings the group will have before the end of the season next spring.
This round of decisions mostly addresses acting category decisions, determining whether various cast members of often large ensembles fall into the lead slots.
A decision was also made on Trouble in Mind, the Alice Childress play originally staged Off Broadway in 1955 that had never been produced on Broadway until this season. As it did several seasons ago with Mart Crowley’s 1968 play The Boys in the Band,...
The decision to consider the individual members of those ensemble casts was among the first set of eligibility rulings made for the 2021-2022 season. The Tony Awards Administration Committee met yesterday in the first of the several eligibility meetings the group will have before the end of the season next spring.
This round of decisions mostly addresses acting category decisions, determining whether various cast members of often large ensembles fall into the lead slots.
A decision was also made on Trouble in Mind, the Alice Childress play originally staged Off Broadway in 1955 that had never been produced on Broadway until this season. As it did several seasons ago with Mart Crowley’s 1968 play The Boys in the Band,...
- 12/9/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
“The Boys in the Band” stands as one of the biggest casting stories of the year. That is a big boost to the prospects for this Netflix release at the upcoming SAG Awards. The story, by the late Mart Crowley, focuses on a group of gay friends gathered at a birthday party. It’s 1968. One year before the Stonewall Riots cracked open the gay rights movement. When the play premiered Off-Broadway that year, it was the first time audiences saw a genuine depiction of gay life on stage. This legacy was honored in the 2018 Broadway revival which starred only out men. That same group reprised their performances on film.
And that ensemble is big. Nine actors will appear on the SAG ballot: Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer, Andrew Rannells, Robin de Jesus, Tuc Watkins, Michael Benjamin Washington, Charlie Carver, and Brian Hutchinson. Such large ensembles have reigned supreme with this awards body.
And that ensemble is big. Nine actors will appear on the SAG ballot: Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer, Andrew Rannells, Robin de Jesus, Tuc Watkins, Michael Benjamin Washington, Charlie Carver, and Brian Hutchinson. Such large ensembles have reigned supreme with this awards body.
- 1/26/2021
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Being a year where everyone was trapped indoors glued to their screens meant, for moviegoers, that smaller films were able to sneak onto the radar, and that especially extended to queer storytelling in 2020.
From unlikely romances like Miranda July’s “Kajillionaire” to genre-pushing nonfiction portraits like David France’s “Welcome to Chechnya” and Rachel Mason’s “Circus of Books,” there were plenty of enjoyable and inspiring LGBTQ movies to engage with in an otherwise dour and painful year.
In “Monsoon,” Henry Golding burst out of the matinee idol image he established in “Crazy Rich Asians.” Mart Crowley’s scandalous 1960s play “The Boys in the Band” lived again on Netflix. In “Lingua Franca,” Isabel Sandoval wrote, directed, and starred in a breakout indie about an undocumented trans Filipina worker. In “Shirley,” Elisabeth Moss once again burned down the screen in her sly and kinky turn as gothic writer Shirley Jackson.
From unlikely romances like Miranda July’s “Kajillionaire” to genre-pushing nonfiction portraits like David France’s “Welcome to Chechnya” and Rachel Mason’s “Circus of Books,” there were plenty of enjoyable and inspiring LGBTQ movies to engage with in an otherwise dour and painful year.
In “Monsoon,” Henry Golding burst out of the matinee idol image he established in “Crazy Rich Asians.” Mart Crowley’s scandalous 1960s play “The Boys in the Band” lived again on Netflix. In “Lingua Franca,” Isabel Sandoval wrote, directed, and starred in a breakout indie about an undocumented trans Filipina worker. In “Shirley,” Elisabeth Moss once again burned down the screen in her sly and kinky turn as gothic writer Shirley Jackson.
- 12/27/2020
- by Ryan Lattanzio and Jude Dry
- Indiewire
“He’s quite an eccentric,” muses Zachary Quinto of his character Harold in “The Boys in the Band.” The actor performed the seminal gay classic in a Tony winning Broadway revival before filming a new film adaptation for Netflix. “Figuring out his specific brand of eccentricity was really the joy of the rehearsal process,” says Quinto. Watch the exclusive video interview above.
See Jim Parsons video interview: ‘The Boys in the Band’ and ‘Hollywood’
In the film, a group of gay friends gather in the Manhattan apartment of Michael (Jim Parsons) in 1968 to celebrate Harold’s birthday. Quinto gets to make a grand entrance as the flamboyant birthday boy and holds court at the party by riffling off classic sassy zingers by the late playwright Mart Crowley. Of the heightened language that Harold employs, Quinto explains that “there is a kind of bombastic, extroverted, performative quality to Harold. And it’s rooted,...
See Jim Parsons video interview: ‘The Boys in the Band’ and ‘Hollywood’
In the film, a group of gay friends gather in the Manhattan apartment of Michael (Jim Parsons) in 1968 to celebrate Harold’s birthday. Quinto gets to make a grand entrance as the flamboyant birthday boy and holds court at the party by riffling off classic sassy zingers by the late playwright Mart Crowley. Of the heightened language that Harold employs, Quinto explains that “there is a kind of bombastic, extroverted, performative quality to Harold. And it’s rooted,...
- 12/1/2020
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Let’s take a closer look at the three nominees for Best Play Revival: “Betrayal,” “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune” and “A Solider’s Play.” Our exclusive odds give the edge to “A Soldier’s Play,” but this only remains to be one of the closest races at this year’s virtual awards. Remember, only those Tony voters who saw all three nominees can vote in this category. Tony watchers theorize that this new rule helped “The Boys in the Band” win this race last year despite being the first production of the season to have opened.
The first nominee is the third Broadway revival of Harold Pinter’s 1978 award-winning play, “Betrayal.” The story chronicles a seven-year affair in reverse chronological order. The original Broadway edition earned Tony nominations for star Blythe Danner and director Peter Hall.
This edition came to town after a successful run in...
The first nominee is the third Broadway revival of Harold Pinter’s 1978 award-winning play, “Betrayal.” The story chronicles a seven-year affair in reverse chronological order. The original Broadway edition earned Tony nominations for star Blythe Danner and director Peter Hall.
This edition came to town after a successful run in...
- 12/1/2020
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
A Tony nomination eluded Jim Parsons when the revival of “The Boys in the Band” played Broadway in 2018. But sterling reviews for the Netflix film adaptation, and a streaming-centric year in film, could mean that the actor will have the last laugh and be recognized at the Oscars instead.
Parsons plays Michael in the seminal gay story from the late Mart Crowley. It is the pre-Stonewall year of 1968, and Michael has invited a group of friends to his Manhattan apartment to celebrate his bestie Harold’s (Zachary Quinto) birthday. As the party turns chaotic, Michael convinces the guests to play a game where each man must call the person they truly love.
Critics fell in love with Parsons’ portrayal of the self-hating Michael. Owen Gleiberman (Variety) claims that the actors “tormented passion” holds the film together. He elaborates that “at times he’s like Paul Lynde as a frazzled artiste,...
Parsons plays Michael in the seminal gay story from the late Mart Crowley. It is the pre-Stonewall year of 1968, and Michael has invited a group of friends to his Manhattan apartment to celebrate his bestie Harold’s (Zachary Quinto) birthday. As the party turns chaotic, Michael convinces the guests to play a game where each man must call the person they truly love.
Critics fell in love with Parsons’ portrayal of the self-hating Michael. Owen Gleiberman (Variety) claims that the actors “tormented passion” holds the film together. He elaborates that “at times he’s like Paul Lynde as a frazzled artiste,...
- 11/27/2020
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
“There’s so many things that actors can do, but you have to be given the opportunity,” explains Jim Parsons. The Emmy winner was given two opportunities to shine in dramatic roles this year in the Netflix limited series “Hollywood” and the film “The Boys in the Band.” Both projects came from producer Ryan Murphy, whom the actor describes as “very much like an angel and a godfather to me.” Watch the exclusive video interview above.
Parsons is thankful for his creative “godfather” for offering projects “that I didn’t know I was hungry to do.” In Murphy’s reimagining of the golden age of film in “Hollywood,” the actor takes on real life talent agent Harry Willson. And in the film adaptation of Mart Crowley’s play “The Boys in the Band,” the thespian delves into the tortured mind of Michael, a gay Manhattanite in 1968 struggling to accept himself.
Parsons is thankful for his creative “godfather” for offering projects “that I didn’t know I was hungry to do.” In Murphy’s reimagining of the golden age of film in “Hollywood,” the actor takes on real life talent agent Harry Willson. And in the film adaptation of Mart Crowley’s play “The Boys in the Band,” the thespian delves into the tortured mind of Michael, a gay Manhattanite in 1968 struggling to accept himself.
- 11/17/2020
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Joe Mantello, the “Hollywood” actor and director of “The Boys in the Band,” is the model for one of four magazine covers for the Out100, Out magazine’s annual list of today’s most influential LGBTQ+ figures, TheWrap can exclusively share.
Mantello fronts the film edition of the magazine, which will also profile other creators and performers like actress Brigette Lundy-Paine, actress and writer Jen Richards, documentary filmmakers P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes, animator Steven Clay Hunter and “Antebellum” filmmakers Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz.
“Joe Mantello’s breathtaking performance in ‘Hollywood’ moved me unlike any performance I’ve seen this year,” Out’s editor in chief David Artavia said in a statement. “A man of many hats, Joe’s work in theater as both an actor and a director is timeless and continues to exist at the pulse point of many generations. Beloved by many in the entertainment industry,...
Mantello fronts the film edition of the magazine, which will also profile other creators and performers like actress Brigette Lundy-Paine, actress and writer Jen Richards, documentary filmmakers P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes, animator Steven Clay Hunter and “Antebellum” filmmakers Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz.
“Joe Mantello’s breathtaking performance in ‘Hollywood’ moved me unlike any performance I’ve seen this year,” Out’s editor in chief David Artavia said in a statement. “A man of many hats, Joe’s work in theater as both an actor and a director is timeless and continues to exist at the pulse point of many generations. Beloved by many in the entertainment industry,...
- 11/17/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
The first trailer for Ryan Murphy’s “The Prom,” the star-stuffed movie musical adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical, has landed from Netflix. Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Kerry Washington, James Corden, Andrew Rannells, Keegan-Michael Key, and many more headline this flashy song-and-dance movie, which arrives on the streaming platform December 11. Watch the new look at the film below.
The Broadway musical comedy follows a group of washed up Broadway actors who help a lesbian go to prom as part of a PR stunt. Dee Dee Allen (Meryl Streep), a two-time Tony Award winner, pairs up with Barry Glickman (James Corden) in a musical about First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt that’s a total flop. They each receive career-killing reviews, and decide to revive their reputations by throwing their weight behind a charity cause. They’re joined by veteran Broadway chorus girl Angie Dickinson (Nicole Kidman), along with out-of-luck actor Trent Oliver...
The Broadway musical comedy follows a group of washed up Broadway actors who help a lesbian go to prom as part of a PR stunt. Dee Dee Allen (Meryl Streep), a two-time Tony Award winner, pairs up with Barry Glickman (James Corden) in a musical about First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt that’s a total flop. They each receive career-killing reviews, and decide to revive their reputations by throwing their weight behind a charity cause. They’re joined by veteran Broadway chorus girl Angie Dickinson (Nicole Kidman), along with out-of-luck actor Trent Oliver...
- 10/22/2020
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
It’s not easy outrunning an outsized character like Sheldon Cooper, the awkward theoretical physicist played by Jim Parsons for 12 seasons on the ratings hit “The Big Bang Theory.”
But only a year after the May 2019 finale of the sitcom, Parsons delivered two breakout dramatic performances that no primetime CBS viewer would recognize — a cruel summer of sorts — playing a monstrous talent agent in Ryan Murphy’s “Hollywood” in May, and a malignant, self-loathing ’60s gay man in Joe Mantello’s “Boys in the Band” in September.
With both programs airing on Netflix, Parsons was restricted neither by broadcast standards nor audience expectations. Particularly in “Boys in the Band,” a piece for which he serves as the dark beating heart, Parsons showed off a dazzling (if not horrifying) knack for confrontation and disdain.
“He really burns the house down,” Parsons told Variety recently of his character, Michael, whom he also...
But only a year after the May 2019 finale of the sitcom, Parsons delivered two breakout dramatic performances that no primetime CBS viewer would recognize — a cruel summer of sorts — playing a monstrous talent agent in Ryan Murphy’s “Hollywood” in May, and a malignant, self-loathing ’60s gay man in Joe Mantello’s “Boys in the Band” in September.
With both programs airing on Netflix, Parsons was restricted neither by broadcast standards nor audience expectations. Particularly in “Boys in the Band,” a piece for which he serves as the dark beating heart, Parsons showed off a dazzling (if not horrifying) knack for confrontation and disdain.
“He really burns the house down,” Parsons told Variety recently of his character, Michael, whom he also...
- 10/19/2020
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Surely the gayest out cast ever to be assembled in one room for a Netflix movie is in “The Boys in the Band,” Joe Mantello’s new vision of the iconoclastic Mart Crowley play about the tortured lives of gay men in 1960s New York. While reviews have been strong — including from IndieWire — not all critics have been kind to the film. That includes TheWrap’s Alonso Duralde, who took issue with the casting of Latinx actor Robin de Jesús in the role of Emory, the flamboyant interior director played by white actor Cliff Gorman in the original 1968 Off-Broadway play and in William Friedkin’s 1970 movie version.
In a guest column also for TheWrap, the film’s co-writer and producer Ned Martel fired back at Duralde’s criticisms, including the charge that Emory’s “racist put-downs” of his friend Bernard, who is Black, lose their charge when coming from a...
In a guest column also for TheWrap, the film’s co-writer and producer Ned Martel fired back at Duralde’s criticisms, including the charge that Emory’s “racist put-downs” of his friend Bernard, who is Black, lose their charge when coming from a...
- 10/12/2020
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
I can take a bad review, and I used to dish them out for a living. And the late, great Mart Crowley warned me all there’d be days like this and diatribes like that of Alonso Duralde, as there’ve been in the 52 years since his play, “The Boys in the Band,” first provoked audiences. My colleagues and I chose to revive it, first on Broadway and now on Netflix, and we all know: The show is about hostility, and hostility it inspires. That’s the gig.
I am not easily offended, and I am open to any criticism from anyone, but when Mr. Duralde accuses me of bad motives, I have to take a stand on behalf of Mart, the director Joe Mantello, and my fellow producers.
Mr. Duralde insists that the casting of Robin de Jesús, in the role of Emory, was an act of “cheating.” I...
I am not easily offended, and I am open to any criticism from anyone, but when Mr. Duralde accuses me of bad motives, I have to take a stand on behalf of Mart, the director Joe Mantello, and my fellow producers.
Mr. Duralde insists that the casting of Robin de Jesús, in the role of Emory, was an act of “cheating.” I...
- 10/12/2020
- by Ned Martel
- The Wrap
Since making the big move from FX to Netflix under his sweeping umbrella deal, gay media mogul Ryan Murphy has wasted no time populating the streamer with his distinct brand of bubblegum-flavored LGBTQ media. While he already had many TV projects in the pipeline, Murphy looked to Broadway for film inspiration. He began with “The Boys in the Band,” transferring Joe Mantello’s Tony-winning revival of Mart Crowley’s 1968 play to the platform, which recently premiered to positive reviews. For his next trick, Murphy adapted the 2018 Tony-nominated musical “The Prom,” which follows a group of washed up Broadway actors who help a midwestern teenager take her girlfriend to prom. What begins as a publicity stunt to jumpstart their flailing careers ends up melting their cold, ambitious actor hearts.
Here’s a more detailed synopsis per Netflix: “Dee Dee Allen (Meryl Streep) and Barry Glickman (James Corden) are New York City...
Here’s a more detailed synopsis per Netflix: “Dee Dee Allen (Meryl Streep) and Barry Glickman (James Corden) are New York City...
- 10/7/2020
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Photo: 'The Boys in the Band'/Netflix In April of 1968, Mart Crowley’s Off-Broadway debut of his play The Boys in the Band premiered in New York City. Just over a year before the Gay Pride Movement skyrocketed at the historic Stonewall protests, Crowley’s The Boys in the Band contributed greatly to the LGBTQ cause as it was a monumental moment for gay representation. “I also believe that one reason that Stonewall and Gay Rights happened - not the only reason, mind you, but one reason- is because of this play. After gays saw The Boys in the Band, they no longer would settle for thinking of themselves as pathetic and wouldn't be perceived as such any longer,” recalls Peter Filichia, a well-regarded theater critic. “Now that Michael and his friends had brought their feelings out of the closet, this new generation would dare to be different.
- 10/6/2020
- by Christopher Davis
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
Netflix's adaptation of Mart Crowley's groundbreaking 1968 play The Boys in the Band follows a group of friends who gather for a birthday party that goes emotionally awry one night in New York City. The Ryan Murphy-produced film reunites the cast of the 2018 Broadway revival of the play, including Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, and Matt Bomer. Like the play, the film revolves around nine characters whose friendly gathering one night quickly goes to sh*t, centering on themes like homophobia, self-loathing, closeted sexuality, monogamy, and racism. However, the film does have a slightly different ending than the play, even if it leaves viewers with the same open-ended questions.
The film - which was directed by Joe Mantello, who also directed the Broadway revival - opens with a brief introduction sequence for all nine characters. We meet Michael (Parsons), the friend throwing the party for Harold (Quinto) in his apartment,...
The film - which was directed by Joe Mantello, who also directed the Broadway revival - opens with a brief introduction sequence for all nine characters. We meet Michael (Parsons), the friend throwing the party for Harold (Quinto) in his apartment,...
- 10/4/2020
- by Mekishana Pierre
- Popsugar.com
There are plenty of hit Broadway productions that are aching to be translated to film. Conversely, there are tons of shows that really have no need for a cinematic adaptation. It’s the ones that fall in between which present a paradox for creatives. Adapt it right and you could have something special. Do it in more of a flawed way and folks will struggle to understand what made he production a success in the first place. The Boys in the Band is one such example of a Broadway translation caught in no man’s land. Strong acting mixes a muddled filmmaking execution to form a flawed yet sporadically compelling new Netflix release. Some may love it. Some may hate it. Most will be left somewhere in between. The movie is an adaptation of the Broadway smash of the same name (as well as the prior motion picture). It’s a drama,...
- 10/4/2020
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
When The Boys in the Band first premiered in 1970, it was considered a milestone in queer cinema due to its portrayal of gay life in a major American motion picture. Set in New York City in 1968, the story - which is based on the 1968 Mart Crowley off-Broadway play of the same name - follows what happens when a birthday party goes dramatically awry thanks to high-running emotions and tons of alcohol. The film features the same cast as its initial stage run - a feat that was duplicated by the Netflix adaptation, which features the same cast from the play's 2018 revival. Keep reading to learn more about the original cast, including what they did after The Boys in the Band.
Related: Andrew Rannells and Tuc Watkins Are the Cutest Couple Both on Screen and Irl...
Related: Andrew Rannells and Tuc Watkins Are the Cutest Couple Both on Screen and Irl...
- 10/2/2020
- by Grayson Gilcrease
- Popsugar.com
Who would’ve thought that the artist formerly known as Sheldon Cooper would be so good at being mean. Jim Parsons earned an Emmy nomination this past summer for his role as a predatory talent agent in “Hollywood,” and in “The Boys in the Band,” adapted from Mart Crowley‘s stage play, he cruelly lashes out at his friends while hosting a party that goes awry. It’s a performance worthy of Oscar consideration, but he wouldn’t be the first sitcom star to gain recognition from the motion picture academy.
Though Parsons is best known for his four-time Emmy-winning role as Sheldon in “The Big Bang Theory,” this isn’t his first foray into drama, and it wouldn’t be his first recognition for it either. Before his dark turn earlier this year in “Hollywood,” he appeared on Broadway in “The Normal Heart” (2011) and reprised his role in the 2014 HBO adaptation,...
Though Parsons is best known for his four-time Emmy-winning role as Sheldon in “The Big Bang Theory,” this isn’t his first foray into drama, and it wouldn’t be his first recognition for it either. Before his dark turn earlier this year in “Hollywood,” he appeared on Broadway in “The Normal Heart” (2011) and reprised his role in the 2014 HBO adaptation,...
- 10/2/2020
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
This new film version of the off-Broadway hit about gay lives in New York is strange, compelling and unexpectedly potent
Hammy and stagey and campy it might be, but The Boys in the Band turns out to have a fiercely watchable soap-operatic intensity, a sustained attack of telenovela craziness, culminating in a full-on anxiety attack from its leading character. It’s based on the 1968 off-Broadway hit by Mart Crowley (who died in March this year) about a group of gay men in New York gathering for a birthday party in an era before Stonewall, before Aids, a time when metropolitan sophisticates sort of tolerated “swishiness” in the bohemian arts scene, and when Gore Vidal was saying, pour épater les bourgeois, that there were homosexual acts but no homosexual people.
The play was turned into a film directed by William Friedkin in 1970 and the title is taken from the line in...
Hammy and stagey and campy it might be, but The Boys in the Band turns out to have a fiercely watchable soap-operatic intensity, a sustained attack of telenovela craziness, culminating in a full-on anxiety attack from its leading character. It’s based on the 1968 off-Broadway hit by Mart Crowley (who died in March this year) about a group of gay men in New York gathering for a birthday party in an era before Stonewall, before Aids, a time when metropolitan sophisticates sort of tolerated “swishiness” in the bohemian arts scene, and when Gore Vidal was saying, pour épater les bourgeois, that there were homosexual acts but no homosexual people.
The play was turned into a film directed by William Friedkin in 1970 and the title is taken from the line in...
- 10/2/2020
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Zachary Quinto has never seen William Friedkin’s 1970 big-screen adaptation of “The Boys in the Band,” based on Mart Crowley’s play about a group of gay men who gather in a New York apartment for their friend Harold’s birthday.
You’d think he would have by now. Not only did he play Harold in the 2018 Broadway production of “Boys,” but he takes on the role once again in the new Joe Mantello-directed Netflix film adaptation.
“When I got invited to do the play, I thought, ‘Well, I don’t want to watch it before we go into rehearsals.’ And then I thought, ‘I’ll watch it when the play is over,’” Quinto says on Thursday’s episode of the Variety and iHeart podcast “The Big Ticket.” “But then I went right into another job after the play was done. By the time I would have watched the movie,...
You’d think he would have by now. Not only did he play Harold in the 2018 Broadway production of “Boys,” but he takes on the role once again in the new Joe Mantello-directed Netflix film adaptation.
“When I got invited to do the play, I thought, ‘Well, I don’t want to watch it before we go into rehearsals.’ And then I thought, ‘I’ll watch it when the play is over,’” Quinto says on Thursday’s episode of the Variety and iHeart podcast “The Big Ticket.” “But then I went right into another job after the play was done. By the time I would have watched the movie,...
- 10/1/2020
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
If the all-star cast of Netflix's The Boys in the Band got you thinking it's about a rowdy, mischievous group of gay friends who spend their nights cackling and poking fun at each other, you're not technically wrong. Starring Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer, Andrew Rannells, Tuc Watkins, Robin de Jesús, Michael Benjamin Washington, Charlie Carver and Brian Hutchison, the new Ryan Murphy-produced movie is an adaptation of Mart Crowley's 1968 play, a depends-who-you-ask controversial piece made into a film in 1970 and later developed into a Tony-winning Broadway production in 2018. The story takes place over the course of one night as Michael (Parsons) hosts a...
- 10/1/2020
- E! Online
After a successful run on Broadway, producer Ryan Murphy is hoping the film adaptation of his Tony winning hit “The Boys in the Band” can score at the Oscars. The film, which debuted to critical acclaim on September 30, could be a major contender in Netflix’s stack of heavy hitting movies.
The film is adapted from the late Mart Crowley’s seminal gay play of the same name. The drama was a game changer when it debuted Off-Broadway in 1968. The story revolves around a group of gay men who gather together for a friend’s birthday celebration in New York City. As the group drinks the night away, the conversation turns to a “game” where each guest must call someone they love.
As of this writing, the movie has an 86% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. Should that critical consensus hold, “The Boys in the Band” could be a formidable player...
The film is adapted from the late Mart Crowley’s seminal gay play of the same name. The drama was a game changer when it debuted Off-Broadway in 1968. The story revolves around a group of gay men who gather together for a friend’s birthday celebration in New York City. As the group drinks the night away, the conversation turns to a “game” where each guest must call someone they love.
As of this writing, the movie has an 86% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. Should that critical consensus hold, “The Boys in the Band” could be a formidable player...
- 10/1/2020
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
The Boys in the Band — directed by Joe Mantello and produced by, among others, Ryan Murphy — isn’t always good, but it’s a good time. The project is a tough prospect, in some ways. The movie adapts Mart Crowley’s groundbreaking 1968 play, an Upper East Side drama whose characters are entirely comprised of gay men, men whose desires and conflicts and forms of expression are inherently their own — whose lives and complications, fully on display here, had up until to that point usually been relegated to the background, if...
- 9/30/2020
- by K. Austin Collins
- Rollingstone.com
Five years ago, Charlie Carver, who appears in the upcoming Netflix film “The Boys in the Band,” was at an Emmy party when a gay man he worked with chastised him three separate times for acting too effeminate.
“I was told that I needed to ‘get it under control’ around people in the business,” Carver says, sharing the story for the first time with Variety.
Later, while Carver was waiting at the valet, he ran into his co-worker again and asked him for clarification. Instead, the man slapped Carver across the face. “It wasn’t playful but intentional, pointed and meant to be instructive. A slap,” says the actor. “I told him that if he ever touched me again, I would name him.”
As upsetting as the night was, Carver, now 32, says, “That was the moment when I said to myself, ‘I can’t do this. I cannot police myself in that way.
“I was told that I needed to ‘get it under control’ around people in the business,” Carver says, sharing the story for the first time with Variety.
Later, while Carver was waiting at the valet, he ran into his co-worker again and asked him for clarification. Instead, the man slapped Carver across the face. “It wasn’t playful but intentional, pointed and meant to be instructive. A slap,” says the actor. “I told him that if he ever touched me again, I would name him.”
As upsetting as the night was, Carver, now 32, says, “That was the moment when I said to myself, ‘I can’t do this. I cannot police myself in that way.
- 9/30/2020
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
It’s been a wretched year for Broadway, but it’s not all bad for veteran stage director Joe Mantello. While his buzzy New York production of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” became yet another pandemic casualty when it closed before it even began in April, Mantello’s terrific new film version of the late Mart Crowley’s 1968, acid-tongued gay cult classic play “The Boys in the Band” should lessen the blow.
Though Mantello was just five years old when “Boys” first premiered Off-Broadway, it’s William Friedkin’s controversial 1970 film version that later introduced him to Crowley’s eye-opening vision of gay life. “I went to North Carolina School of the Arts, and I saw it for the first time there, probably early on when I was a sophomore, and I found it terrifying, but I also loved it,” Mantello, a New Yorker, said in a phone interview from...
Though Mantello was just five years old when “Boys” first premiered Off-Broadway, it’s William Friedkin’s controversial 1970 film version that later introduced him to Crowley’s eye-opening vision of gay life. “I went to North Carolina School of the Arts, and I saw it for the first time there, probably early on when I was a sophomore, and I found it terrifying, but I also loved it,” Mantello, a New Yorker, said in a phone interview from...
- 9/29/2020
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
The boys are back On Wednesday, September 30, the cast of the Tony-winning The Boys is the Band is reassembled on Netflix for a new film adaptation of Mart Crowley's masterpiece, helmed by Joe Mantello.Watch as Zachary Quinto and Charlie Carver chat even more about the importance of the play and the privilege of getting to continue its legacy.
- 9/28/2020
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
The catty screeches of the smashed birthday partying queers in Mart Crowley’s Off-Broadway play “The Boys in the Band” were not merely sliver-sharp gibes and ice pic-like verbal jabs for their own sake. They were, rather, frayed confessions of self-loathing, a velvet rage that had curdled into shouts that were partially enough to mobilize gay and queer men to assert their identities in an unwelcome world. Though perhaps necessarily narrow, or specific, in its point of view, “The Boys in the Band” was a manifestation of a social tipping point, produced just before the Stonewall Uprising.
Continue reading ‘The Boys In The Band’: The Iconic Play Finds New Meaning In Joe Mantello’s Starry-Eyed Film [Review] at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘The Boys In The Band’: The Iconic Play Finds New Meaning In Joe Mantello’s Starry-Eyed Film [Review] at The Playlist.
- 9/25/2020
- by Kyle Turner
- The Playlist
Director Joe Mantello’s The Boys in the Band begins with a spark, specifically the sound of a lighter, as we see Harold (played by Zachary Quinto in full Afro-wigged glory) light up and put a record on his hi-fi. The sound of Erma Franklin’s cover of Sam & Dave’s “Hold On I’m Comin’” sets the tone for 1968 New York City. In the montage that follows, we see Michael (Jim Parsons) buying provisions at the counter of Barney Greengrass; Donald (Matt Bomer) zooms over the bridge to Manhattan...
- 9/25/2020
- by Jerry Portwood
- Rollingstone.com
There are plenty of dramas that look different with time, but it’s the peculiar fate of “The Boys in the Band,” Mart Crowley’s groundbreaking 1968 play, to have been so buffeted by changing times that the play keeps changing its identity. At this point, in fact, I’d say that there are five stages of “The Boys in the Band.”
First, it was a revolutionary work of commercial theater that took you into the lives of half a dozen gay New Yorkers — which doesn’t sound like a big deal, but back then even the most celebrated American playwrights, a number of whom were gay, felt constrained in their portrayal of gay characters. Volumes have been written about how the heterosexual relationships in their works were often “coded” gay relationships. Mart Crowley broke with all that. Inspired, in part, by a New York Times diatribe from the critic Stanley Kauffman,...
First, it was a revolutionary work of commercial theater that took you into the lives of half a dozen gay New Yorkers — which doesn’t sound like a big deal, but back then even the most celebrated American playwrights, a number of whom were gay, felt constrained in their portrayal of gay characters. Volumes have been written about how the heterosexual relationships in their works were often “coded” gay relationships. Mart Crowley broke with all that. Inspired, in part, by a New York Times diatribe from the critic Stanley Kauffman,...
- 9/25/2020
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Producer Ryan Murphy and director Joe Mantello have come not to bury the past but to slavishly recreate it, sort of, with “The Boys in the Band,” a feature film starring the cast that the two assembled for the 2018 revival of Mart Crowley’s groundbreaking play about a group of urban gay frenemies.
“Groundbreaking” is one of the last adjectives one could apply to this ossified remake, which scavenges the surface of William Friedkin’s 1970 film version with all the depth of a magazine layout or a theme party. Whether or not you think Crowley’s very of-its-moment piece still has something to say to audiences of the 21st century, it’s a play that deserves better than this waxwork karaoke.
Michael (Jim Parsons), who grapples with his gay identity via retail therapy and Catholic guilt, throws a birthday party for the acerbic Harold (Zachary Quinto). The guests include the...
“Groundbreaking” is one of the last adjectives one could apply to this ossified remake, which scavenges the surface of William Friedkin’s 1970 film version with all the depth of a magazine layout or a theme party. Whether or not you think Crowley’s very of-its-moment piece still has something to say to audiences of the 21st century, it’s a play that deserves better than this waxwork karaoke.
Michael (Jim Parsons), who grapples with his gay identity via retail therapy and Catholic guilt, throws a birthday party for the acerbic Harold (Zachary Quinto). The guests include the...
- 9/25/2020
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
The shocking drama and dark camp of Mart Crowley’s play “The Boys in the Band,” which first bowed off-Broadway in 1968, is hard to top. Filmmaker William Friedkin first brought this two-act stage drama about a group of out-gay male friends to the big screen in 1970, giving audiences a peek behind the velvet curtain of homosexual social life. “Terrifying” is a word often ascribed to this play, written before Stonewall and before AIDS, as it exposed the damage and self-loathing gay men felt their in their then-little corner of the world. And, in the 1960s, the play had to speak to all the hidden issues of the time surrounding LGBTQ life.
“The Boys in the Band,” thankfully, doesn’t have to do that anymore. And it doesn’t have to feel terrifying. It’s 1968, and while gay men are largely regarded as an aberration by polite society, the LGBTQ population...
“The Boys in the Band,” thankfully, doesn’t have to do that anymore. And it doesn’t have to feel terrifying. It’s 1968, and while gay men are largely regarded as an aberration by polite society, the LGBTQ population...
- 9/25/2020
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
In 1968, playwright Mart Crowley made history when he premiered the Off-Broadway play The Boys in the Band, a drama that revolves around a group of gay men who gather for a birthday party in New York City. Hailed as a groundbreaking portrayal of gay life, the play was adapted into a feature film directed by William Friedkin […]
The post ‘The Boys in the Band’ Trailer: Ryan Murphy Brings a Beloved Broadway Play to Netflix appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘The Boys in the Band’ Trailer: Ryan Murphy Brings a Beloved Broadway Play to Netflix appeared first on /Film.
- 9/2/2020
- by Hoai-Tran Bui
- Slash Film
When Mart Crowley’s 1968 play The Boys in the Band came to Broadway in 2018, it made history. For the first time, the production — directed by Tony-winner Joe Mantello — featured only openly gay actors.
The production won a Tony for Best Revival of a Play in 2019 and a new movie adaption — including all members of the Broadway cast — was announced with Ryan Murphy at the helm.
Now fans can get a look at the fun, games and devilish humor for the first time with a trailer for the film (which debuts...
The production won a Tony for Best Revival of a Play in 2019 and a new movie adaption — including all members of the Broadway cast — was announced with Ryan Murphy at the helm.
Now fans can get a look at the fun, games and devilish humor for the first time with a trailer for the film (which debuts...
- 9/2/2020
- by Jerry Portwood
- Rollingstone.com
More than fifty years after Mart Crowley’s play became an unexpected smash hit for putting gay men’s lives center stage with honesty and humor, The Boys In The Band returns to the screen in a new adaptation that reunites acclaimed director Joe Mantello with the all-star cast of the Tony-winning, 2018 Broadway production.
Matt Bomer and Jim Parsons in “The Boys in the Band.” Photo by Scott Everett White / Netflix – © 2020 Netlix, Inc.
In 1968 New York City—when being gay was still considered to be best kept behind closed doors—a group of friends gather for a raucous birthday party hosted by Michael (Jim Parsons), a screenwriter who spends and drinks too much, in honor of the sharp-dressed and sharp-tongued Harold (Zachary Quinto). Other partygoers include Donald (Matt Bomer), Michael’s former flame, now mired in self-analysis; Larry (Andrew Rannells), a randy commercial artist living with Hank (Tuc Watkins), a...
Matt Bomer and Jim Parsons in “The Boys in the Band.” Photo by Scott Everett White / Netflix – © 2020 Netlix, Inc.
In 1968 New York City—when being gay was still considered to be best kept behind closed doors—a group of friends gather for a raucous birthday party hosted by Michael (Jim Parsons), a screenwriter who spends and drinks too much, in honor of the sharp-dressed and sharp-tongued Harold (Zachary Quinto). Other partygoers include Donald (Matt Bomer), Michael’s former flame, now mired in self-analysis; Larry (Andrew Rannells), a randy commercial artist living with Hank (Tuc Watkins), a...
- 9/2/2020
- by Mike Tyrkus
- CinemaNerdz
"Game time! We all have to call the one person we truly believe we have loved." Netflix has unveiled the first trailer for The Boys in the Band, a cinematic adaptation of the Tony-winning play of the same name. The play originally launched on stage in 1968, and the script for the movie is written by the same playwright Mart Crowley. More than fifty years after his play became an unexpected smash hit for putting gay men's lives center stage with honesty and humor, The Boys in the Band returns to the screen in a new adaptation that reunites acclaimed director Joe Mantello with the all-star cast of the Tony-winning, 2018 Broadway production. A group of gay men gather for a birthday party in 1968 New York City, only to find the drinks and laughs interrupted when a visitor from the host’s past turns the evening upside down. The fabulous cast includes Jim Parsons,...
- 9/2/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Netflix has released a trailer for Ryan Murphy’s adaptation of the stage play The Boys in the Band, and playing a central role, kiddos, is what we of a certain age called a “rotary telephone.”
Adapted from Mart Crowley’s acclaimed play and reuniting director Joe Mantello with the all-star cast of the Tony-winning, 2018 Broadway production, The Boys in the Band follows a group of gay men who gather for a birthday party in 1968 New York City, only to find the drinks and laughs interrupted when a visitor from the host’s past turns the evening upside down.
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Adapted from Mart Crowley’s acclaimed play and reuniting director Joe Mantello with the all-star cast of the Tony-winning, 2018 Broadway production, The Boys in the Band follows a group of gay men who gather for a birthday party in 1968 New York City, only to find the drinks and laughs interrupted when a visitor from the host’s past turns the evening upside down.
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- 9/2/2020
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Netflix has dropped the trailer for “The Boys in the Band,” Ryan Murphy’s film adaptation of the 2018 revival of Mart Crowley’s play of the same name.
In the trailer, which you can watch above, a group of nine gay men gather together for a birthday party in 1960s’ NYC. Jim Parsons’ character suggests as a “game” they each call the one person they truly believe they have loved. And well, let’s just say things get really emotional, really quickly.
“The Boys in the Band” stars Parsons, Matt Bomer, Zachary Quinto, Andrew Rannells, Tuc Watkins, Brian Hutchison, Robin de Jesús, Charlie Carver, and Michael Benjamin Washington, the same cast that led the 2018 Broadway revival of the play. Joe Mantello, who directed that stage version, also directs the Netflix adaptation.
Here’s the official synopsis for the movie, which launches Sept. 30 on Netflix:
“More than fifty years after Mart...
In the trailer, which you can watch above, a group of nine gay men gather together for a birthday party in 1960s’ NYC. Jim Parsons’ character suggests as a “game” they each call the one person they truly believe they have loved. And well, let’s just say things get really emotional, really quickly.
“The Boys in the Band” stars Parsons, Matt Bomer, Zachary Quinto, Andrew Rannells, Tuc Watkins, Brian Hutchison, Robin de Jesús, Charlie Carver, and Michael Benjamin Washington, the same cast that led the 2018 Broadway revival of the play. Joe Mantello, who directed that stage version, also directs the Netflix adaptation.
Here’s the official synopsis for the movie, which launches Sept. 30 on Netflix:
“More than fifty years after Mart...
- 9/2/2020
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
If you missed the critically acclaimed 2018 Broadway adaptation of “The Boys in the Band” — starring Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Tuc Watkins, Andrew Rannells, Matt Bomer, Michael Benjamin Washington and Robin de Jesús — now is your chance. The Tony-winning cast from the revival have reunited, with the help of Ryan Murphy, for their Netflix debut.
Filmmaker Joe Mantello directed the upcoming movie adaptation, based on the play by Mart Crowley, who died earlier this year. Like the show, the film centers around a group of gay men who gather together for a birthday party in 1968 New York. The night starts to unravel when a guest from the host’s past appears.
Here’s the official, slightly more spoiler-filled, synopsis from Netflix:
“In 1968 New York City — when being gay was still considered to be best kept behind closed doors – a group of friends gather for a raucous birthday party hosted by Michael...
Filmmaker Joe Mantello directed the upcoming movie adaptation, based on the play by Mart Crowley, who died earlier this year. Like the show, the film centers around a group of gay men who gather together for a birthday party in 1968 New York. The night starts to unravel when a guest from the host’s past appears.
Here’s the official, slightly more spoiler-filled, synopsis from Netflix:
“In 1968 New York City — when being gay was still considered to be best kept behind closed doors – a group of friends gather for a raucous birthday party hosted by Michael...
- 9/2/2020
- by Meredith Woerner
- Variety Film + TV
The 2018 Broadway production of Mart Crowley’s “The Boys in the Band” featured a groundbreaking ensemble of openly gay actors: Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer, Andrew Rannells, Charlie Carver, Robin DeJesús, Brian Hutchison, Michael Benjamin Washington, and Tuc Watkins. All of the actors are reuniting for Netflix’s upcoming film adaptation of the stage play which, like the recent Broadway run, is produced by Ryan Murphy and directed by Joe Mantello. The stage production won the 2019 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play.
Mantello’s “Boys in the Band” adaptation for Netflix is the second film version of Crowley’s play, following William Friedkin’s 1970 adaptation. The story takes place in 1968 New York City and centers around a group of friends as they come together for a birthday party. The party is being hosted by Michael (Parsons), an alcoholic screenwriter, in honor of his sharp-tinged friend Harold (Quinto...
Mantello’s “Boys in the Band” adaptation for Netflix is the second film version of Crowley’s play, following William Friedkin’s 1970 adaptation. The story takes place in 1968 New York City and centers around a group of friends as they come together for a birthday party. The party is being hosted by Michael (Parsons), an alcoholic screenwriter, in honor of his sharp-tinged friend Harold (Quinto...
- 9/2/2020
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
The latest project to emerge from the $300-million Ryan Murphy factory over at Netflix is “The Boys in the Band,” director Joe Mantello’s adaptation of the groundbreaking 1968 Mart Crowley stage play. Mantello, with Murphy, revived the play on Broadway in 2018 with a Tony-nominated ensemble who are all back for the new film version: Jim Parsons, Matt Bomer, Andrew Rannells, Zachary Quinto, Robin de Jesús, and Michael Benjamin Washington. Check out first-look photos for “The Boys in the Band” below.
Crowley’s play, a chamber portrait of pre-liberation gay America that plays like “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” for bitchy queens, was first brought to the screen by William Friedkin in 1970. The story unfolds over the course of a birthday party on a hot New York City night in 1968, when gay behavior had to be closeted and coded. The party is being hosted by Michael (Parsons), a decadent guy who spends and drinks too much,...
Crowley’s play, a chamber portrait of pre-liberation gay America that plays like “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” for bitchy queens, was first brought to the screen by William Friedkin in 1970. The story unfolds over the course of a birthday party on a hot New York City night in 1968, when gay behavior had to be closeted and coded. The party is being hosted by Michael (Parsons), a decadent guy who spends and drinks too much,...
- 8/22/2020
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Consider this your formal invitation to the year’s most dramatic birthday party: Netflix’s film adaptation of The Boys in the Band will drop on Wednesday, Sept. 30, the streamer announced Friday.
Produced by Ryan Murphy and directed by Joe Mantello (Hollywood), The Boys in the Band is based on the 1968 play by late writer Mart Crowley, who passed away in March. The film is set in New York City, where a group of gay men gather for a friend’s birthday party and are faced with uncomfortable truths throughout the course of the evening.
More from TVLineThe Crown Season...
Produced by Ryan Murphy and directed by Joe Mantello (Hollywood), The Boys in the Band is based on the 1968 play by late writer Mart Crowley, who passed away in March. The film is set in New York City, where a group of gay men gather for a friend’s birthday party and are faced with uncomfortable truths throughout the course of the evening.
More from TVLineThe Crown Season...
- 8/21/2020
- by Rebecca Iannucci
- TVLine.com
Matt Bomer already knew Derek Simonds, the creator and showrunner of “The Sinner,” before being approached about starring in the third season of the USA Network series.
“I had met with Derek years ago when he was involved in ‘Call Me by Your Name,’ and we’d hit it off creatively and had a great conversation,” Bomer, 42, says from his home in Los Angeles during an appearance on Tuesday’s episode of the Variety and iHeart podcast “The Big Ticket.”
Before Luca Guadagnino directed the 2017 film (which later earned an adapted screenplay Oscar for James Ivory), Simonds worked on an adaptation of the source material — André Aciman’s novel of the same name — says Bomer.
Simonds and Bomer discussed the possibility of the actor playing Oliver. “I obviously loved the material; I loved talking with him about it,” he said. “I thought it had real potential. Then he went on...
“I had met with Derek years ago when he was involved in ‘Call Me by Your Name,’ and we’d hit it off creatively and had a great conversation,” Bomer, 42, says from his home in Los Angeles during an appearance on Tuesday’s episode of the Variety and iHeart podcast “The Big Ticket.”
Before Luca Guadagnino directed the 2017 film (which later earned an adapted screenplay Oscar for James Ivory), Simonds worked on an adaptation of the source material — André Aciman’s novel of the same name — says Bomer.
Simonds and Bomer discussed the possibility of the actor playing Oliver. “I obviously loved the material; I loved talking with him about it,” he said. “I thought it had real potential. Then he went on...
- 7/7/2020
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
I first encountered his plays when I was 14 or 15, living in the Bible Belt of Texas, where I was completely in the dark about the AIDS epidemic other than just tabloid headlines. His words changed my life. He stood up and said, "We are worthy of love and we are worthy of respect and demand what we need to survive because we are human beings like you."
I certainly loved him and loved my time with him. I was wrecked on Wednesday, I have to be honest — between Mart Crowley and then Terrence McNally and ...
I certainly loved him and loved my time with him. I was wrecked on Wednesday, I have to be honest — between Mart Crowley and then Terrence McNally and ...
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