“Good Night, and Good Luck” is officially a hit. The new Broadway drama has made back its full $9.5 million investment in only seven and a half weeks on Broadway, producers announced on May 12. The play began previews on March 12 and officially opened on April 3 at the Winter Garden Theatre. During the week ending May 4, the David Cromer-helmed production became the first play in Broadway history to gross over $4 million in a single week. “Good Night, and Good Luck” is currently scheduled to play a limited engagement through June 8.
Adapted by George Clooney and Grant Heslov from their 2005 film, “Good Night, and Good Luck” follows journalist Edward R. Murrow (played by Clooney) as he exposes the lies and corruption of senator Joseph McCarthy’s communist investigation. The play’s title refers to Murrow’s famous on-air signoff. Clooney played the role of Murrow’s colleague Fred W. Friendly in the film version, which featured David Strathairn in an Oscar-nominated turn as Murrow. Glenn Fleshler plays Friendly in the play.
Clooney is currently nominated for a Tony Award as Leading Actor in a Play for his Broadway performance. The play also received Tony nods for Scott Pask’s scenic design, Heather Gilbert and David Bengali’s lighting design, Brenda Abbandandolo’s costume design and Daniel Kluger’s sound design.
Rounding out the play’s cast are Mac Brandt as Colonel Anderson, Will Dagger as Don Hewitt, Christopher Denham as John Aaron, Ilana Glazer as Shirley Wershba, Clark Gregg as Don Hollenbeck, Paul Gross as William S. Paley, Georgia Heers as Ella, Carter Hudson as Joe Wershba, Fran Kranz as Palmer Williams, Jennifer Morris as Millie Green, Michael Nathanson as Eddie Scott, Andrew Polk as Charlie Mack and Aaron Roman Weiner as Don Surine, with R. Ward Duffy, Joe Forbrich, Imani Rousselle, Greg Stuhr, JD Taylor and Sophia Tzougros.
“Good Night, and Good Luck” is produced by Seaview, Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Jean Doumanian and Robert Fox.
