Good Night, Oscar

By Doug Wright

“A bravura tour-de-force… dazzling and deeply moving.” — Chicago Tribune

Set during a single unforgettable night of live television in 1958, Good Night, Oscar shines a spotlight on the brilliant and complicated entertainer Oscar Levant. Written by Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Doug Wright, the play centers on Levant’s legendary appearance on The Tonight Show with host Jack Paar. As Levant dazzles audiences with his wit and virtuoso piano playing, the evening also reveals the vulnerabilities behind his public persona. Both hilarious and deeply human, the play explores fame, artistry, and the delicate balance between brilliance and struggle. Good Night, Oscar also celebrates community—from the national audience tuning in together to the intimate connection between performer and host—showing how empathy, humor, and shared experience can bring people together, even through the lens of a live broadcast.