# Talk Radio (play)

Talk Radio is a 1987 Pulitzer Prize-nominated play written by Eric Bogosian, based on a concept by Bogosian and Tad Savinar. The play centering around a shock jock originated off-Broadway at The Public Theater in 1987 where it became a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It made its Broadway debut in 2007 which earned two Tony Award nominations for Best Revival of a Play and Best Actor in a Play for Liev Schreiber. The play was adapted into a 1988 film of the same name directed by Oliver Stone.

## Plot

The story of Barry Champlain, a Cleveland-area shock jock, on the eve of his radio show's national syndication.

## Cast and characters

| Characters | Off-Broadway debut (1987) | Film adaptation (1988) | Broadway debut (2007) |
| Barry Champlain | Eric Bogosian | Eric Bogosian | Liev Schreiber |
| Dan Woodruff | Mark Metcalf | Alec Baldwin | Peter Hermann |
| Ellen | | Ellen Greene | |
| Laura | | Leslie Hope | |
| Stu Noonan | John C. McGinley | John C. McGinley | Michael Laurence |
| Dietz | | John Pankow | |
| Kent | Michael Wincott | Michael Wincott | Sebastian Stan |
| Sid Greenberg | Zach Grenier | Zach Grenier | Adam Sietz |

## Production history

The play, with Bogosian in the lead role, premiered off-Broadway at The Public Theater on May 28, 1987, in a production directed by Frederick Zollo. The production also featured John C. McGinley, Zach Grenier, Mark Metcalf, and Peter Onorati. A production was staged at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2006, directed by Stewart Lee, featuring Mike McShane, Phil Nichol, and Stephen K. Amos.
Talk Radio made its Broadway premiere on March 11, 2007, in a production starring Liev Schreiber, and featuring Stephanie March and Peter Hermann (Law & Order: SVU), and Sebastian Stan (Captain America: The Winter Soldier). The opening night cast also included Christine Pedi, Barbara Rosenblat, Adam Seitz, Marc Thompson, Kit Williamson, Cornell Womack and Christy Pusz. The show made its final Broadway performance at the Longacre Theater on June 24, 2007.

## 1988 film adaptation

A film adaptation of Talk Radio, directed by Oliver Stone, was released one year later. Bogosian reprised the title role; however the setting was changed from Cleveland to Dallas. It also starred Alec Baldwin and one of the play's co-stars, John C. McGinley.

## Awards and nominations
### 1987 Off-Broadway production

| Year | Award ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
| 1987 | Pulitzer Prize | Pulitzer Prize for Drama | Eric Bogosian | Finalist | |

### 2007 Broadway production

| Year | Award ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
| 2007 | Tony Award | Best Revival of a Play | Eric Bogosian | Nominated |
| 2007 | Tony Award | Best Actor in a Play | Liev Schreiber | Nominated |
| 2007 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Nominated |
| 2007 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actor in a Play | Liev Schreiber | Nominated |
| 2007 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Sound Design | Richard Woodbury | Nominated |
| 2007 | Drama League Award | Distinguished Revival of a Play | Distinguished Revival of a Play | Nominated |
| 2007 | Outer Critics Circle | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Nominated |
| 2007 | Outer Critics Circle | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play | Liev Schreiber | Nominated |