Clifford Odets’ Awake and Sing!
About the Show
Starring Danny Burstein, Micaela Diamond, Jessica Hecht, Will Pullen and Jeremy Shamos, this bold new production of Clifford Odets’ timeless masterpiece tells a story about aspiration, family and how to live with dignity in America. It’s the 1930s, and the Bronx is a furnace. New ideas clash with the old amidst the poverty and shattered promises of the Great Depression. And three generations of the Berger family, trapped inside their cramped tenement, struggle to hold different visions of an American dream and the Jewish experience. Directed by Tyne Rafaeli, this classic battle between hope and disillusionment returns to Broadway, speaking thrillingly to the crises of the present moment.
About the Show
Starring Danny Burstein, Micaela Diamond, Jessica Hecht, Will Pullen and Jeremy Shamos, this bold new production of Clifford Odets’ timeless masterpiece tells a story about aspiration, family and how to live with dignity in America. It’s the 1930s, and the Bronx is a furnace. New ideas clash with the old amidst the poverty and shattered promises of the Great Depression. And three generations of the Berger family, trapped inside their cramped tenement, struggle to hold different visions of an American dream and the Jewish experience. Directed by Tyne Rafaeli, this classic battle between hope and disillusionment returns to Broadway, speaking thrillingly to the crises of the present moment.
Performance Schedule
Click on a performance time in the schedule below to request tickets.
October
Ticket Prices
About the Theatre
Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
261 W 47th St
New York, NY 10036
Originally named the Biltmore, this theatre opened on December 7, 1925 with the play Easy Come Easy Go. With a seating capacity of 903, it was one of Broadway’s smaller venues. The theatre was used by Federal Theatre’s Living Newspaper project in the 1930s. CBS leased it for use as a radio and television studio from 1952 until 1961. In 1968, the groundbreaking rock musical Hair opened at the theatre. In 1987, a fire struck the Biltmore. The blaze, which was later determined to be an act of arson, destroyed the interior. After the fire, the building sat vacant for fourteen years, suffering more structural damage from water and vandals. The theatre’s ownership changed hands several times between 1987 and 2001.
In 2001, the property was purchased by the Manhattah Theatre Club as a permanent home for its productions. The Biltmore’s landmarked features, such as the proscenium arch, dome, staircases and a vaulted second-floor gallery, were restored or replicated. The theatre was renamed the “Samuel J. Friedman Theatre” in a dedication ceremony held on September 4, 2008. The new name honors Broadway publicist Samuel J. Friedman.