“It is so disarming that it could, if it gets around (and I’m sure it will), make the nation’s youth aspire to become drama critics instead of firemen and baseball players.” New York Daily News on Critic’s Choice
“Critic’s Choice” and Other Comedies : Break A Leg, Cantorial, and Critic’s Choice
04-08-25
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Description
Ira Levin, the very same author who terrified the world with Rosemary’s Baby and The Boys from Brazil, astoundingly wrote laugh-out-loud comedies as well. Here are three of his most riotous, touching, and entertaining lighter stage works––including the pick of the litter, “Critic’s Choice.”
CRITIC’S CHOICE
Parker Ballantine is a top Broadway critic. When his wife’s very first play lands on the Great White Way, will he review it? Can he review it? Filmed in 1963 starring Lucille Ball and Bob Hope, this “laugh laden and wonderful” (The American) excursion is a throwback to an era of cocktails, tuxedos, witty quips, and urbane ripostes that “crackle and throw out sparks” (New York Morning Telegraph)––pure “sparkling venom.” (Boston Globe).
BREAK A LEG
A beleaguered theater company attempts to permanently drive out the brutish critic who’s been decimating their productions by using their combined talents to stage madness-inducing scenarios in the path of his daily comings and goings. “One of the wildest, funniest, best-acted farces I’ve ever seen” (Associated Press). If She Loves Me mated with Dangerous Liaisons, their child would be Break A Leg––the most unapologetically hilarious comedy ever crafted by Levin.
CANTORIAL
A “yuppie” couple moves into a small synagogue-to-condo conversion on New York’s Lower East Side, only to have the spirit of its long dead cantor begin haunting them in song. This buoyant comedy is part ghost story, part musical, part spiritual journey, and––as Levin termed it himself––“possibly the warmest thing I’ve ever written.” Prepare to be amused, intrigued, and charmed by this winning tale.
Praise
“It is so disarming that it could, if it gets around (and I’m sure it will), make the nation’s youth aspire to become drama critics instead of firemen and baseball players.” New York Daily News on Critic’s Choice
“Fresh and funny.” The New York Times on Critic’s Choice
“Sparkling venom.” The Boston Globe on Critic’s Choice
“Laugh laden and wonderful. Witty dialogue like a nonstop electric razor.” The American on Critic’s Choice
“Wittily ingenious.” The Guardian on Break a Leg
Details
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Release Day | Apr 7, 2025 |
| Release Date | April 8, 2025 |
| Release Date Machine | 1744070400 |
| Imprint | Blackstone Publishing |
| Provider | Blackstone Publishing |
| Categories | Literature & Fiction, Drama & Plays |
Author Bio
The genre-defining works of novelist-playwright Ira Levin (1929–2007) include such indelible titles as Rosemary’s Baby, The Stepford Wives, The Boys from Brazil, and Deathtrap—the fifth longest-running play in Broadway history. At home in nearly every genre—horror (Rosemary’s Baby), crime (Edgar-winning A Kiss Before Dying), science fiction (This Perfect Day), comedy (No Time For Sergeants), even a Broadway musical (Drat! The Cat!)—Levin’s enduring works continue to resonate with readers and audiences, serving as iconic cultural and creative touchstones. Learn more at Levin’s official website, IraLevin.org.
Overview
Ira Levin, the very same author who terrified the world with Rosemary’s Baby and The Boys from Brazil, astoundingly wrote laugh-out-loud comedies as well. Here are three of his most riotous, touching, and entertaining lighter stage works––including the pick of the litter, “Critic’s Choice.”
CRITIC’S CHOICE
Parker Ballantine is a top Broadway critic. When his wife’s very first play lands on the Great White Way, will he review it? Can he review it? Filmed in 1963 starring Lucille Ball and Bob Hope, this “laugh laden and wonderful” (The American) excursion is a throwback to an era of cocktails, tuxedos, witty quips, and urbane ripostes that “crackle and throw out sparks” (New York Morning Telegraph)––pure “sparkling venom.” (Boston Globe).
BREAK A LEG
A beleaguered theater company attempts to permanently drive out the brutish critic who’s been decimating their productions by using their combined talents to stage madness-inducing scenarios in the path of his daily comings and goings. “One of the wildest, funniest, best-acted farces I’ve ever seen” (Associated Press). If She Loves Me mated with Dangerous Liaisons, their child would be Break A Leg––the most unapologetically hilarious comedy ever crafted by Levin.
CANTORIAL
A “yuppie” couple moves into a small synagogue-to-condo conversion on New York’s Lower East Side, only to have the spirit of its long dead cantor begin haunting them in song. This buoyant comedy is part ghost story, part musical, part spiritual journey, and––as Levin termed it himself––“possibly the warmest thing I’ve ever written.” Prepare to be amused, intrigued, and charmed by this winning tale.