The American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) announced that Doug Wright’s “Good Night, Oscar,” which is slated for the current Broadway season, is one of six finalists for the 2023 Harold and Mimi Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award. The award honors the best new plays that premiered professionally outside of New York City in 2022.
“Good Night, Oscar” had its world premiere at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre in the spring of 2022. The Broadway production begins previews on April 7 ahead of opening night on April 24 at the Belasco Theatre.
Set in 1958 as Jack Paar is hosting “The Tonight Show,” the play unfolds when he books his favorite guest: Oscar Levant.
Wright won the best play Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for “I Am My Own Wife” in 2004. He also wrote the books for the musicals “Grey Gardens,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Hands on a Hardbody” and “War Paint.”
The other finalists for the Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award are “Born with Teeth” by Liz Duffy Adams, “the ripple, the wave that carried me home” by Christina Anderson (“Paradise Square” book writer), “Sally & Tom” by Suzan-Lori Parks (“Topdog/Underdog” playwright), “Spay” by Madison Fiedler and “Swing State” by Rebecca Gilman.
“Good Night, Oscar” is being produced on Broadway by Grove Entertainment, Barbara Whitman, Hazy Mill Productions, Yonge Street Theatricals and Frank Marshall.
