''Next Fall'' is a play written by
Geoffrey Nauffts. The play is about two gay men in a committed relationship with a twist, with one, Luke, being devoutly religious and the other, Adam, an
atheist
Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...
. The play revolves around their five-year relationship and how they make it work despite their differences. However, when an accident changes everything, Adam must turn to Luke's family for support and answers. The play, directed by
Sheryl Kaller with associate director
Joe Langworth, opened
off-Broadway
An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
in 2009 before transferring to the
Helen Hayes Theater in February, 2010.
Production history
''Next Fall'', produced by
Naked Angels, began performances
Off-Broadway
An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre on May 26, 2009 and opened to positive reviews June 3, 2009. The sold-out production, which was to close June 21, 2009, resulted in three extensions through Aug. 8, 2009. The cast for the off-Broadway production included
Patrick Breen as Adam,
Patrick Heusinger as Luke, Maddie Corman as Holly, Sean Dugan as Brandon, Connie Ray as Arlene, and Cotter Smith as Butch.
The off-Broadway production transferred to the
Helen Hayes Theatre on
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...
. Previews began February 16, 2010 and the play officially opened on March 11, 2010. The entire off-Broadway cast replicated their roles on Broadway as did director Sheryl Kaller and associate director
Joe Langworth.
Ben Brantley
Benjamin D. Brantley (born October 26, 1954) is an American theater critic, journalist, editor, publisher, and writer. He served as the chief theater critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1996 to 2017, and as co-chief theater critic from 2017 t ...
gave a rave in ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', and called the play an "artful, thoughtful and very moving story".
Among its positive reviews, the show was named "the little play that could" by New York theater critic David Cote. It closed on July 4, 2010, after 26 previews and 132 regular performances.
The UK premiere of ''Next Fall'' was produced b
James Quaife Productionsstaged at th
Southwark Playhousefrom 24 September until 25 October 2014. The cast featured Charlie Condou, Nancy Crane,
Ben Cura, Martin Delaney, Mitchell Mullen and Sirine Saba. The play was directed by Luke Sheppard with design by David Woodhead, Lighting design by Howard Hudson, Sound design by David Gregory and casting by Sophie Parrott.
The Australian premiere of Next Fall was at the Seymour Centre in Sydney in October 2016. The production ran for 4 weeks (19 performances) and was produced by Boyslikeme Productions. The cast included Cormac Costello as Butch, Mark Dessaix as Brandon, Alex Ewan as Luke, Victoria Greiner as Holly, Mary Anne Halpin as Arlene and Darrin Redgate as Adam. It was Directed by Andy Leonard, Designed by Irma Calibrese with Lighting Design by Steve Furzey. Melbourne and Adelaide seasons followed with local casts but with Darrin Redgate still at the helm.
Synopsis
Luke believes in God. Adam believes in everything else. "Next Fall" portrays the ups and downs of this unlikely couple’s five-year relationship with sharp humor and unflinching honesty. And when an accident changes everything, Adam must turn to Luke’s family and friends for support… and answers. "Next Fall" offers a picture of modern romance, asking questions about commitment, love, and faith.
Original Broadway cast
*
Patrick Breen as Adam
*
Patrick Heusinger as Luke
*
Maddie Corman
Maddie Corman (born Madeleine Cornman; August 15, 1970) is an American actress. She has appeared in over 25 films, including ''Seven Minutes in Heaven'', '' Some Kind of Wonderful'', ''The Adventures of Ford Fairlane'' and ''A Beautiful Day in t ...
as Holly
*Sean Dugan as Brandon
*
Connie Ray as Arlene
*
Cotter Smith
Joseph Cotter Smith (born May 29, 1949) is an American stage, film, and television actor.
Early life
He was born in Washington, D.C., the son of Madeline (née Cotter) and John Lewis Smith, Jr., who was a federal judge. He graduated from the ...
as Butch.
Awards and nominations
;2010
Drama Desk Awards
The Drama Desk Awards are among the most esteemed honors in New York theater, recognizing outstanding achievements across Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway productions within the same categories. The awards are considered a signific ...
* Outstanding Play (nominated)
* Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play – Sean Dugan (nominated)
;2010
Tony Awards
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cere ...
* Best Play (nominated)
* Best Direction of a Play – Sheryl Kaller (nominated)
;2010
Outer Critics Circle Awards
*Outstanding New Broadway Play (nominated)
*John Gassner Award – Geoffrey Nauffts (winner)
2013 BroadwayWorld Regional Awards
Source:
* Best Actor in a Play –
Josh Rhett Noble
* Best Actress in a Play – Elizabeth Casalini
* Best Direction of a Play – Jennifer Jones
References
External links
Official website for 2010 Broadway production of ''Next Fall''*
* {{IOBDB title
2010 plays
American plays
LGBTQ-related plays
Off-Broadway plays
Broadway plays