OMAHA PERFORMING ARTS

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG is exactly what it sounds like – a play in which everything that can go wrong, does go wrong. Yes, it’s as funny as it sounds, too! We’re so excited to kick off the 2018/2019 Broadway Series by filling the Orpheum Theater with roaring laughter.



Here are 5 fun facts about the award-winning show:

1. Born in London

   The show is the brainchild of three graduates of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art: Jonathan Sayer, Henry Shields and Henry Lewis. Fans of British comedy, from silent film to Mr. Bean, they drew upon their own theater disaster stories to craft the script.

2. Written in just four weeks

   Sayer, Shields and Lewis wrote the play in just four weeks – and then they rehearsed it for four weeks. Originally, the show was a 60-minute, one-act play. They opened the show at the Old Red Lion Pub in 2012. At first, they had an audience of just four people! By the time word spread, they were cramming 70 people in the small pub.

3. The set itself is a star

   As the show got more popular, producers urged the creators to write a second act. The trio teamed up with set designer Nigel Hook to come up with a complex set that would produce even more theatrical mishaps – doors sticking, pictures falling off walls and some other disasters I don’t want to spoil for you. In 2017, the play took home the Tony Award for best set.

4. J.J. Abrams walked into a theater…

   By the time the play reached its fourth anniversary, it had moved to the Duchess Theatre – and one day famous film director J.J. Abrams walked in. You see, he just happened to come to the show on his day off from filming “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”.
   
   He loved the play! After the show, he went back stage to meet the creators and urged them to bring it to America. And you know what? They had no idea who he was until after he left – adding even more laughs to the story of how this play met success. Abrams became a producer on the American version playing on Broadway.

5. The mischief begins before the show starts
   There’s no denying it – you want to see this show now, right?  I mean, who doesn’t need a good laugh? A bit of advice: When you come to the show, be sure to arrive early. The shenanigans start before the show officially begins. Keep an eye out for any mischief in the audience or on stage. You’ll get a few chuckles in before the lights go down! 

To learn more about the show or to purchase tickets, visit TicketOmaha.com.