Jordan Reinwald News

Sometimes when I'm seeing a show about a particular subject I'll look through my library and re-read (or newly purchase) books that pertain to it. When I noticed that the New Jewish Theatre's production of Neil Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor was on the schedule, I decided to bone up. So, I picked up Sid Caesar's biography, 'Caesar's Hours', and I also watched a few DVDs of 'Your Show of Shows' and 'Caesar's Hour', as well as thumbing through my copy of Mel Brooks' biography ('It's Good to Be the King'). Attempts have been made before to put on display that elusive magic that took place in the writer's room of those shows, including the Brooksfilm production of My Favorite Year. But, I think LAUGHTER ON THE 23RD FLOOR best captures the moment, focusing its attention on the actual work and play that went on in the room between the star and his genius stable of writers. The current presentation by the New Jewish Theatre is simply hilarious, and greatly aided by a wonderful cast and terrific direction.

What do Lucille Kallen, Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, Woody Allen, Michael Stewart, Mel Tolkin, Larry Gelbart, Carl Reiner and Selma Diamond have in common? Most are Jewish, and all were denizens of the famed 'Writer's Room' where they labored to create the comedy sketches for the live 90 minute weekly variety series, 'Your Show of Shows' starring the legendary Sid Caesar. Composites of these writers make up the characters in Neil Simon's raucous comedy,LAUGHTER ON THE 23RD FLOOR, set in 1953 during television's golden age.

What do Lucille Kallen, Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, Woody Allen, Michael Stewart, Mel Tolkin, Larry Gelbart, Carl Reiner and Selma Diamond have in common? Most are Jewish, and all were denizens of the famed 'Writer's Room' where they labored to create the comedy sketches for the live 90 minute weekly variety series, 'Your Show of Shows' starring the legendary Sid Caesar. Composites of these writers make up the characters in Neil Simon's raucous comedy,LAUGHTER ON THE 23RD FLOOR, set in 1953 during television's golden age.

Christopher Durang turns political humor upside down with this hilarious and provocative satire about America's 'War on Terror.' WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM tells the story of a young woman suddenly in crisis: Is her new husband, whom she married when drunk, a terrorist? Or just crazy? Or both? Is her father's hobby of butterfly collecting really a cover for his involvement in a shadow government? Don't feel guilty about laughing hard at this new black comedy for an era of yellow, orange and red alerts.