New York City Broadway Theater Guide

Lips Together, Teeth Apart

Broadway Dramatic Comedy

Previews  Delayed
Opened  April 29 2010
Limited Run to June 20 2010

Running Time  To come

Tickets  $66.50 to $116.50

Prices do not include any taxes, service charges or other charges

Order at  Roundabout Theatre Company

Performances

Producers

Roundabout Theatre Company

Creative

Terrence McNally author
Joe Mantello director

Tom Broecker costume design
Paul Gallo lighting design
John Lee Beatty scenic design
Darron West sound design

Synopsis

It's a typical 4th of July weekend on Fire Island, gay men gathering and partying in the group houses on the sandy stretch along Long Island's south shore. Amidst them are the Trumans and the Haddocks, two straight couples that find themselves trying to cope with the reality of AIDS, the prejudices it has unearthed and its impact on their values and lives

The Road to Broadway

Sometimes stuff just happens. Three years after Mr Mantello staged readings of a new production of Lips Together, Teeth Apart for the folks at the Roundabout, the show was finally coming together. Or so it seemed. In a blockbuster of an announcement on March 24th, just a little less than two weeks before previews were to begin, Todd Haimes, Roundabout's artistic director, announced that Megan Mullally had left the show. No reason was given at the time, but there were hints that Ms Mullally there was friction between her and somebody else in the company -- possibly Mr Mantello, most likely not Mr Mantello -- very sketchy. Previews were delayed with the opening night date kept at Apr 29th in order to qualify for the Tonys

Then, late on Mar 25th, the Roundabout announced that the production would not be staged as scheduled and that it was in search of another property to fill the hole. A New York Times article on Mar 26th, stated that Ms Mullally "quit the show this week because of frustration with the inexperience of a co-star, the comedian Patton Oswalt, whom she tried to have replaced." And that led to reactions by Mr Mantello that Ms Mullally "found to be brusque or unsympathetic"

Too bad, this is one to which we were looking forward. Always thought of Ms Mullally as a trouper and were very curious as to how Mr Oswalt would make the transition to a dramatic stage role

Prior to the above goings on Lips/Teeth had quite a long road to the Great White Way. The first New York City production ran from May 1991 through January 1992 at the Manhattan Theatre Club's City Center Stage 1. Christine Baranski and Anthony Heald played the Haddocks, with Swoosie Kurtz and Nathan Lane appearing as the Trumans. Except for Mr Heald, the originating cast was replaced by Jonathan Hadary and Roxanne Hart as Sally and Sam, and Deborah Rush and Hillary Bailey Smith, both who portrayed Chloe

After the 250-performance run at MTC, the production transferred to the Lucille Lortel Theater with Mr Hadary, Ms Hart Mr Heald and Ms Smith on the boards. Subsequent replacements during the 169 performances had Joanne Camp and Frances Conroy appearing as Sally Truman, Michael Countryman and Brian Kerwin as John Haddock, and Ethan Phillips as Sam Truman