# Mr. Saturday Night (musical)

Mr. Saturday Night is a musical with music by Jason Robert Brown, lyrics by Amanda Green, and a book by Billy Crystal, Lowell Ganz, and Babaloo Mandel, based on the 1992 film. The musical follows comedian Buddy Young, Jr, decades past his prime, as he attempts a second chance at fame and his family. It premiered at Barrington Stage Company in October 2021. The musical moved to Broadway opening on April 27, 2022, at the Nederlander Theatre.
The Broadway production received positive reviews by critics, praising the book and music of the musical, being nominated for five Tony Awards, including for Best Musical. The performances of Billy Crystal and Shoshana Bean were positively reviewed, and the two were nominated for Tony Awards. The show's cast recording received a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.

## Production history

The musical had its world premiere at Barrington Stage Company on October 22, 2021, for a limited run until October 30.
The production began previews on Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre on March 29, 2022, prior to officially opening on April 27. On July 17, 2022, the production announced its closing for September 4, 2022, after 28 previews and 116 performances.

## Cast and characters

| Character | Barrington Stage (2021) | Broadway (2022) |
| Buddy Young, Jr. | Billy Crystal | Billy Crystal |
| Elaine Young | Randy Graff | Randy Graff |
| Stan Yankelman | David Paymer | David Paymer |
| Susan Young | Alysha Umphress | Shoshana Bean |
| Annie Wells | Chasten Harmon | Chasten Harmon |
| Joey/Farber/Dr. Jeff/Elderly Actor & Others | Jordan Gelber | Jordan Gelber |
| Bobby/Mr. Jacovitti/Ramon/Larry Myereson & Others | Brian Gonzales | Brian Gonzales |
| Lorraine/NBC Page/Lucille/Karen & Others | Mylinda Hull | Mylinda Hull |

## Reception

The play officially opened on April 27, 2022 with many in the industry attending opening night including Steve Martin, Martin Short, Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, Bryan Cranston, and Alex Borstein.
The show was met with positive reviews from critics particularly for Crystal's lively performance. The New York Times praised Crystal's performance, writing, "Crystal is utterly in his element performing live...It's a pleasure to watch." Critic Adam Feldman of Time Out wrote, "By Broadway standards, Mr. Saturday is a modest little show... But it delivers exactly what it promises: Crystal, completely in his element, with a crowd that is more than happy to buy what he’s selling". Variety called it "the funniest show on Broadway in years, if not the most likable." Peter Marks of The Washington Post described the show as "a slender but agreeable Broadway musical" in which the jokes "are old-school funny, polished and impeccably timed".

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
| 2022 | Drama Desk Awards |
| 2022 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Billy Crystal | Nominated |
| 2022 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Book of a Musical | Billy Crystal, Lowell Ganz, and Babaloo Mandel | Nominated |
| 2022 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lyrics | Amanda Green | Nominated |
| 2022 | Drama League Award | Outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical | Outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical | Nominated |
| 2022 | Drama League Award | Distinguished Performer Award | Billy Crystal | Nominated |
| 2022 | Drama League Award | Distinguished Performer Award | Shoshana Bean | Nominated |
| 2022 | Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding New Broadway Musical | Outstanding New Broadway Musical | Nominated |
| 2022 | Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Shoshana Bean | Nominated |
| 2022 | Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Book of a Musical | Billy Crystal, Lowell Ganz, and Babaloo Mandel | Nominated |
| 2022 | Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Video/Projection Design (Play or Musical) | Jeff Sugg | Nominated |
| 2022 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Best Musical | Nominated |
| 2022 | Tony Awards | Best Book of a Musical | Billy Crystal, Lowell Ganz, and Babaloo Mandel | Nominated |
| 2022 | Tony Awards | Best Original Score | Jason Robert Brown and Amanda Green | Nominated |
| 2022 | Tony Awards | Best Actor in a Musical | Billy Crystal | Nominated |
| 2022 | Tony Awards | Best Featured Actress in a Musical | Shoshana Bean | Nominated |
| 2023 | Grammy Awards | Best Musical Theater Album | Mr. Saturday Night | Nominated |