Chris Ferrer (far right) as Lorne Michaels manages some unhappy stars in "Not Ready for Prime Time" now at the Westchester Cultural Arts Center. (Photo George Schiavone)
A scene in Erik J. Rodriguez’s and Charles A. Sothers’ play about the origin and early history of the television hit, “Saturday Night Live,” illustrates a different side to the late actor, John Belushi.
Up until that scene, which occurs toward the end of Not Ready For Prime Time, the playwrights mostly portray Belushi as a belligerent jerk. And, perhaps he was. But when Belushi and fellow “Saturday Night Live” actor Dan Aykroyd have been out of work for a while, Belushi, at one point blinking back tears, tells Aykroyd how much he misses his job.
“What I really miss is making people laugh,” he says. “Isn’t that why we do it? When things are all f**ked up and life makes everyone feel like sh*t, it’s like they’re begging you to make them laugh for an hour and a half...and forget their troubles...Seeing them laugh and you’re the one doing it is the best f**ing high you can ever get.”
True, Belushi curses more than once in the aforementioned passage, as he is prone to do. But at least it shows a more sensitive side to the late actor (1949-1982).
"Not Ready for Prime Time," which is onstage in Miami through Sunday, April 17 in a mostly strong professional co-production, might benefit if Rodriguez and Sothers included more such scenes, highlighting the characters’ sensitivity and humanity. In addition, the play could offer more insight into the creative process behind writing, acting out, and directing sketches.
As it stands now, the play repeatedly and too often shows us the darker sides to the characters’ lives – drug use, affairs, arguments, physical fights, etc. Of course, more balance would not hurt in the playwrights’ efforts to get "Not Ready for Prime Time" more ready for regular regional theater productions and even off Broadway. Also, the play is about a half hour too long with overdone exposition.
Roderick Randle plays Garrett Morris in a look at the early years of "Saturday Night Live" in the play "Not Ready for Prime Time." (Photo George Schiavone).
Certainly, "Not Ready for Primetime" shows promise. In particular, the play, which offers mostly escapist entertainment, provides us with a welcome comic respite from today’s troubling headlines. In fact, the piece gets us laughing from the opening lines, with a sketch similar to what we might see on “Saturday Night Live.” Due to copyright, the playwrights have not used the exact same sketches from the popular television comedy show. However, they have come up with ones based on existing sketches. Some are funny, while others are less so. Certainly, people within a certain age range will nod and laugh in familiarity. The play also offers a couple of humorous metatheatrical moments.
Under director Conor Bagley’s solid direction, this co-production by The Roxy Theatre Group, Grove House Productions, and Broadway Factor features a creative setup. Specifically, audience members are observers at a live taping in Studio 8H at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan. Even before we enter the intimate black box theater at the Westchester Cultural Arts Center, we see a sign on the wall that reads “NBC (Network Broadcasting Corporation). In addition, on top of the door through which audiences enter, the sign reads “Studio 8H.”
A four-piece live band plays in between scenes and sketches, adding to the production’s energy. Also, “applause” signs light up during appropriate times.
If you are the type of shy audience member who prefers to watch and not participate, sit somewhere where the actors are less likely to spot you. The actors break the Fourth Wall not only through narration, but by interacting with audience members.
In between scenes, we watch as people wearing headsets move about to make sure everything is running smoothly. And, we hear PA announcements such as “Two minutes to places” and “All actors to places.”
The production moves at a rapid pace and transitions in between scenes occur with cinematic-like fluidity. It all suggests the fast-paced, sometimes hectic world of television.
To Rodriguez’s and Sothers’ credit, it does not take long for us to learn what kind of program "Saturday Night Live" creator and producer Lorne Michaels envisioned for television audiences. Specifically, he wanted something “absurd, young, and hip…and if you don’t like it, get the f**k out of the way,” Lorne tells the audience shortly after the play begins. It does not exactly ingratiate us to Michaels. However, it readies us for the type of material that Michaels had in mind.
In this production, Chris Ferrer plays Lorne Michaels with a young Robert DeNiro-like charm and intensity, as well as a youthful ambition and passion. Ferrer is also convincing at conveying anger and exasperation during his character’s frustrating moments.
Actually, there is plenty of heat radiating from the stage due to the temperamental nature of some of the characters. For instance, Ryan Crout, as Belushi, leans into people to whom he is speaking with (or yelling at) and his semicircular eyebrows slant downward when he is angry. Also, Crout, who strongly resembles his character, lends Belushi an aggression and impulsivity that makes you want to separate yourself from him as much as possible, particularly when he is angry.
Meanwhile, Caleb Scott portrays Chevy Chase as a conceited and proud performer who refuses to apologize for outwardly displaying his pride when he experiences success. Chase’s pride and arrogance can rub people the wrong way, and it shows in this play.
As Garrett Morris, an African American performer, Roderick Randle plays him as an eager, ambitious young man emotionally hurt by workplace racism. Randle makes us feel his character’s pain. And Bagley’s smart staging, among other things, emphasizes Morris’s sense of exclusion.
The cast of Erik J. Rodriguez and Charles A. Sothers' "Not Ready for Prime Time" assembles on the set. (Photo George Schiavone).
Whenever an actor plays a real person, there is always the question of how much the performer should act like the person without impersonating him or her. Mostly, this cast captures the essence of their characters without impersonating. And a clear distinction exists between the characters they are playing and their Saturday Night Live sketch characters
While this cast mostly excels as an ensemble, as well as individually, there are times when they begin talking before a round of applause or laughter ceases. Altogether, the cast comprises Dayana Corton as Gilda Radner, Ryan Crout as John Belushi, Chris Ferrer as Lorne Michaels, Rene Granado as Bill Murray/Dick Ebersol, Kristian Lugo as Dan Aykroyd, Caleb Scott as Chevy Chase, Roderick Randle as Garrett Morris, Ilana Isaacson as Jane Curtin, and Isabella Lopez as Laraine Newman.
Behind the scenes, scenic designer Andrew Rodriguez-Triana includes period-specific props, such as a pay telephone, into his compact yet detailed set. It includes movable units, which become different places, such as an apartment. Meanwhile, Jorgina Fernandez’s period-specific costumes help place us in the 70s and 80s.
Lighting designer Tony Galaska, sound designer Ulises Otero Sr., and music director Douglas McCall all help establish a “Saturday Night Live” atmosphere. By the way, the play’s title originates from the title of the show before it became “Saturday Night Live.” Specifically, the performers on the show were the “Not Ready For Prime Time” players.
This play illustrates how Michaels and SNL cast members as well as executives refused to quit despite obstacles. Also, those involved in bringing Not Ready for Primetime to the stage would not give up despite setbacks.
A couple years after the play received its world premiere production by New Theatre at the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center in 2014, New Theatre shuttered. Even so, Rodriguez and Sothers continued to work on their play.
The pair planned to once again mount their play, this time with changes to the script and new producers, on New Year’s Eve 2021. However, the pandemic sidelined the production. Further, one of the show’s producers, George Cabrera, died suddenly in late January at age 44. Still, Rodriguez and Sothers looked forward and brought the play to where it is today. As the pair proved, perseverance can pay off. With a few more changes to the script, Not Ready for Primetime may prove ready for bigger stages.
The Roxy Theatre Group, Grove House Productions, and Broadway Factor’s co-production of Not Ready for Prime Time runs through Sunday, April 17. Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, April 16, as well as 4 p.m. Sunday. For tickets, go to www.westchesterculturalartscenter.com/not-ready-for-primetime-roxy-theatre. For more information, call (305) 722-5647 or (305) 226-0030. The Westchester Cultural Arts Center is located at 7930 S.W. 40th St. in Miami.
