In the madcap comedy tradition of Lend Me A Tenor, Ken Ludwig’s Moon Over Buffalo centers on George and Charlotte Hay, fading stars of the 1950s. At the moment, they’re playing Private Lives and Cyrano De Bergerac in rep in Buffalo, New York with 5 actors. Down on their luck doesn’t begin to describe it.
But the great movie director Frank Capra is coming to town to see their matinee, and if he likes what he sees, he just might cast them in his movie remake of The Scarlet Pimpernel. Naked ambition takes over as George and Charlotte do everything in their power to make Capra love them.
Moon Over Buffalo marked Carol Burnett’s triumphant return to Broadway after 30 years, and she and her co-star Phil Bosco (both nominated for Tonys for their roles) were followed on Broadway by Lynn Redgrave and Robert Goulet, then in London by Joan Collins and Frank Langella. Since that time, there has never been a season of theater in the world without Moon Over Buffalo.
Recent News and Reviews
Reviews
"Somewhere up above, George S. Kaufman, Abe Burrows, Moss Hart and all those clever fellows who wrote the comedies of yesteryear are rolling with laughter, echoing the audience last night at Moon Over Buffalo. The play is nothing less than a love letter to live theater."
- Boston Herald
AWARDS
2 Tony Award Nominations
“Wildly funny!”
- ABC News
"Ken Ludwig's Moon Over Buffalo tops the mayhem and pitch-perfect farce of his other hit, 'Lend Me a Tenor.'"
- Orange County Register
“Ken Ludwig's Moon Over Buffalo packs more comic genius onto the stage than anything in recent memory!”
- USA Today
“Ken Ludwig is one of those rare contemporary playwrights who thinks in terms of old-fashioned knockabout farce, and that’s something to be cherished.”
- The New York Times
"[R]oles that any actor of a certain age would give his or her soul to play."
- The Boston Herald
“Comedy Triumphant. A completely side-splitting joy. Just go by 45th Street around 8 o’clock and you’ll hear the theatre rollicking.”
- WCBS-TV
"The funniest show in New York … The comedy has audiences rolling in the aisles. The second act has a show-within-a-show spoof of “Private Lives” with everybody in the wrong costumes reading the wrong lines. This has to be one of the most hysterical things ever put onstage. I have seen Ken Ludwig's Moon Over Buffalo three times! I expect you to see it once.”
- New York Post (Liz Smith)
“Moon Over Buffalo is hilarious! Ludwig stuffs his play with comic invention, running gags and neat sense of absurdity. An evening of farcical delight. Go and enjoy!”
- New York Post (Clive Barnes)
“Ken Ludwig's Moon Over Buffalo is by far Broadway’s funniest, most enjoyable lighthearted play. Buy a ticket!”
- Entertainment Weekly
“Riotously funny.”
- WWOR-TV
“A zany, madcap delight!”
- WHDH-TV
“Very, very funny with lots of belly laughs!”
- WCVB-TV
“Moon is raucous and hilarious!”
- WPKO-AM
"[It] doesn't let you stop laughing"
- The Rutland Herald
"Stuffed with comic invention, running gags and a superb sense of absurdity, this is truly a love-letter to live theatre."
- Insidebayarea.com
"Ken Ludwig's Moon Over Buffalo will certainly make you laugh!"
- The Capital, Annapolis, MD
"...Ken Ludwig's Moon Over Buffalo is what a staged comedy should be. It is a wild and wacky farce. It’s “Waiting for Guffman” meets “Noises Off” meets your favorite Shakespeare comedy as performed by the Marx Brothers. Be prepared to leave the theater exhausted from laughter."
- The News Tribune, WA
Original Cast and Creative Team
Ken Ludwig's Moon Over Buffalo premiered on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theatre on October 1, 1995. It was produced by Elizabeth Williams, Heidi Landesman, DTL Entertainment, Hal Luftig and Jujamcyn Theatres with the following cast:
GEORGE HAY - Phillip Bosco; CHARLOTTE HAY - Carol Burnett; ETHEL - Jane Connell; ROSALIND - Randy Graff; HOWARD - Andy Taylor; EILEEN - Kate Miller; PAUL - Dennis Ryan; RICHARD - James Valentine
Directed by Tom Moore; Set Design by Heidi Landesman; Costume Design by Bob Mackie; Lighting by Ken Billington; Sound Design by Tony Meola; Fights staged by B.H. Barry; Stage Managed by Tom Capps
The understudies were Richard Poe, Jane Sell Trese, Lannyl Stephens and David Beach.
The play was subsequently presented in London on October 15, 2001 under the title Over The Moon at The Old Vic by BIll Kenwright with the following cast:
GEORGE HAY - Frank Langella; CHARLOTTE HAY - Joan Collins; ETHEL - Moira Lister; ROSALIND - Sarah Wateridge; HOWARD - Cameron Blakely; EILEEN - Emma Barton; PAUL - Robert Fitch; RICHARD - Paul Bentley
Directed by Ray Cooney; Design by Tim Goodchild; Lighting by Brian Harris