By TR Robertson
If you are fortunate enough to attend the performance of North Coast Repertory Theatre’s first production of their 45th Season, the West Coast Premiere of “Good Night, Oscar”, you will leave the theatre talking about what you have just seen for quite some time. Highlighting the play is the brilliant performance by David Corlew, playing the part of the troubled, neurotic, and highly talented composer, actor, classical pianist Oscar Levant. The award-winning play was written by Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Doug Wright. The award-winning play opened on Broadway at the Belasco Theatre in 2023.
Oscar Levant was a concert pianist, author, composer, actor, conductor, comedian, author, talk show host, and radio personality in the 1940’s and 50”s. He was once the highest paid pianist in the United States in the 1940’s. He produced 35 albums as a pianist and composed for over 75 Hollywood movies and Broadway plays, performing in numerous movies along side the top actors and actresses from this time period. Although never winning an Oscar or Tony award, his prolific career earned him a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. He counted as close friends’ personalities like Harpo Marx and George Gershwin, said to be the chief interpreter of Gershwin’s classic “Rhapsody in Blue”. Oscar was a frequent guest on talk shows popular in the 50’s and early 60’s, such as those hosted by Jack Benny, Joey Bishop, Merv Griffin and Jack Parr’s “The Tonight Show”. “The Tonight Show” is the setting of “Good Night. Oscar”. Married twice, “Good Night, Oscar” features second wife June Levant dealing with Oscar’s troubled life. Despite all of the acclaim, notoriety, and success, Oscar was a very troubled individual, suffering from a variety of mental illness issues. He was said to be a “troubled genius” suffering from bipolar disorders, facial tics, depression, hypochondria (germophobia), obsessive-compulsiveness, obsessing on failures and drug addiction to prescription drugs (especially Demerol).
Doug Wright’s play is set in 1958 in the NBC Television Studio in Burbank, California, in several dressing rooms as well as the set of “The Tonight Show” hosted by Jack Parr. Levant had been committed to a psychiatric hospital by his wife, June, after a violent outburst at his home in Hollywood. Levant actually had been in several psychiatric hospitals before. “Tonight Show” T.V. host Jack Parr had convinced Levant’s wife June that appearing on the talk show might be good therapy for Oscar. Parr also thinks it would simply be good T.V. saying, “For every pearl that goes out of his mouth a pill goes in”. Parr is in his dressing room meeting with NBC executive Bob Sarnoff, Bob is not so sure it is a good idea to bring the troubled, volatile, unpredictable Oscar Levant on live television and is worried about what he might say on topics like politics, religion, his mental issues and drug addiction and the scariest topic of all – sex. This is the late 1950’s. Censorship reigns on television and in the movie industry. Only three stations exist at this time, NBC, CBS, and ABC and Bob is scared an uncontrolled Oscar Levant could bring nothing but trouble for the show and the network. He keeps threatening to bring on actor Caesar Romero to replace Oscar on the show. Needless to say, the rest is recorded history. Oscar is brought to the station, on a “somewhat forged 4-day pass”, accompanied by Alvin Finney, an orderly from the hospital, and joined by wife June who had set the event up with Jack Parr. We see Oscar, struggling with his mental state, troubled by his purpose in being at the station, at odds with Bob Sarnoff on what topics can and cannot be touched on, and most of all unwilling to play the piano. The negative response to the piano has more to do with Levant’s emotional feelings about always being “second fiddle” to Gershwin and always tied to his interpretation of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” rather than Levant’s own compositions. What will occur as well on stage is the interaction between Levant and Parr, Levant and wife June, Levant and Alvin, Levant and Max (a “go-fer” for Parr), and Levant and his imaginary Gershwin. Gershwin had died at the early age of 38 in 1937.
David Corlew’s performance as Oscar Levant is absolutely brilliant. His portrayal as the conflicted, troubled Oscar, is amazing, capturing the multitude of mental issues that control Oscar’s life, including a number of facial tics that appear throughout the performance. He demonstrates the highs and lows that a person in Oscar’s state of mind might go through as well as the emotional struggles he is trying to deal with in his relationship with his wife and children. His performance is nothing less than what should hopefully be given as an award-winning performance. Oscar once said, “There is a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased that line”. David clearly shows this on stage as Oscar tries to deal with what is going on around him. You will be in awe of his performance of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue”. This is also his debut on the NC Rep stage.
Other notable performances include Brian Mackey as the energetic, moderately concerned Jack Parr. Parr shows some empathy, but in the end simply wants a guest that will push the limits of the topics that censors have deemed not in the best interest of the public. Jason Maddy plays the NBC executive Bob Sarnoff. As Bob, Jason wonderfully portrays what it must have been like in the 50’s in dealing with a very strict moral code that he feels must be followed and trying to deal with someone who obviously doesn’t care about such a code along with not being in the best mental state to go on live television. Both Brian and Jason are returning NC Rep performers. Wyatt Vanhazel plays Max Weinbaum, the son of Bob Sarnoff’s brother. As Max, he presents him as an energetic, overly helpful, somewhat oblivious assistant who never really seems to understand what is going on. This is Wyatt’s debut on the NC Rep stage.
Isaiah Frazilus plays Alvin Finney, the psychiatric hospital orderly assigned to watch over Oscar. Alvin is caught in the middle as he finds out how June was able to get a 4-day pass to bring Oscar to NBC Studios. This is Isaiah’s debut on the NC Rep stage. Jay Deyonker plays George Gershwin, who periodically appears when Oscar’s “demons” arise and he imagines the conflicts he has with Gershwin and his ties to the classic “Rhapsody in Blue”. Playing Oscar’s wife June is the 2023 Actor of the Year in San Diego Theatre, Megan Carmitchel. June has had Oscar committed to the psychiatric hospital due to a violent outburst at home and ongoing issues. She understands his mental state but no longer feels she can deal with all of the issues he has. At the same time, she feels something like “The Tonight Show” might help him, rather that the electroshock therapy he is going through. June presents Oscar’s wife as a caring person, also as a wife that has simply had enough but is at least willing to try something to help her husband.
The Design Team for “Good Night Oscar” include Stage Manager Shannon Humiston, Set Designer Michael Wogulis, Lighting Designer Matthew Novotny, Costume Designer Elisa Benzoni,,Sound Designer Tristan King, Props Designer Christopher Williams, Wig & Hair Designer Peter Herman, and Production Assistant Kinzey Eastin.
“Good Night, Oscar” touches on a number of social, moral, and political issues, as well as mental health issues, many still dealt with today. Most people today don’t remember much about Jack Parr, but he was the pioneer of late-night talk shows. He set the standard followed by late night talk show hosts many willing to bring on somewhat controversial guests like Parr did.
“Good Night, Oscar” will be on stage at the North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach until October 18th, Tickets can be purchased at www.northcoastrep.org or call 858-481-1055.
“It isn’t what you are, it’s what you don’t become that hurts.” – Oscar Levant
