Not Ready for Prime Time, a Play About SNL, Gets NY Premiere

Grove House Productions and executive producer Lisa Dozier Shacket announced the New York premiere of Not Ready for Prime Time, a behind-the-scenes look at the launch of one of America’s most iconic shows.

Written by Erik J. Rodriguez and Charles A. Sothers and directed by Conor Bagley (Two by Friel), the show runs October 5-November 30, with opening night set for October 20, at the Newman Mills Theater at the Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space (this is not a production of MCC or Saturday Night Live).

This is an unauthorized look at how a small group of lunatics made Saturday night unmissable. Set in 1975, the play follows Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Lorne Michaels, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Laraine Newman, and Gilda Radner from the writers’ room battles to the live-on-air adrenaline.

Update, September 9: The cast will include Ian Bouillon as Lorne Michaels, Ryan Crout as John Belushi, Jared Grimes as Garrett Morris, Caitlin Houlahan as Jane Curtin, Nate Janis as Bill Murray, Kristian Lugo as Dan Ackroyd, Woodrow Proctor as Chevy Chase, Taylor Richardson as Laraine Newman, and Evan Rubin as Gilda Radner.

Understudies are Gilbert L. Bailey II, Jacob Millman, and Jake Roberson.

The creative team includes Christopher Swader and Justin Swader (sets), Sarita P. Fellows (costumes), Mextly Couzin (lighting), and Liam Bellman-Sharpe (sound).