Roger Fawcett Scores in Neil Simon’s "45 Seconds from Broadway"

I have always said I prefer off-Broadway to Broadway. It’s just more “real” to me. There’s something about experiencing a production in a smaller, more intimate venue that I appreciate more than an over-produced Broadway musical.

Like everyone else, I’m a fan of Neil Simon’s so when I got invited to attend “45 Seconds from Broadway” at the West End Theatre, on West 86th Street in NYC, as a presentation by the Out of the Box Theatre Company, I decided to go. I brought a couple of friends with me, which I was glad I did, because they liked it so much! And what a great gift to watch other people enjoy a show you brought them to see.

Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV with his guests Therese Wittner(L) and Michelle Ester!

Directed superbly by Lin Snider, the play is set in a coffee shop, probably like The Edison, that is literally 45 seconds away from Broadway. Comic Mickey Fox (played by Roger Fawcett), who is described as a cross between Jackie Mason and Don Rickles is a regular there, which makes sense because The Edison was a hang-out for Jackie back in the late 80’s about the time he did his first Broadway show.

I think I actually have a photo somewhere of Jackie and I at The Edison from those days. Aaahh yes, here it is!

Jefrfey Gurian and Jackie Mason in the Edison Hotel coffee shop some time around 1987!

Fawcett is a fascinating character because beside being a talented actor he’s also an ordained Priest, which you can see in his hilarious “Confessions of a Honky Tonk Padre”!

I knew Roger socially but never had the pleasure of seeing him perform, and I was very impressed at how he handled the lead role in this play. He was on stage for literally the entire two hour running time of the play with no opportunity to rest or review his lines. And how many lines there were! I knew he was concerned about having to learn so many pages but his performance was right on the money!

Star Roger Fawcett, AKA The Honky Tonk Padre, enjoying the adulation of his fans!

He was helped by an outstanding cast including Amelia Anderson, Shirley Brevard, Stephanie Byer, Susan Case, Peter J, Coriaty, Bill Galarno, Larry Gutman Stephanie Haring, Paul Helou, Lisa K. Hokans, Jay Aubrey Jones, Barbara Marks, Donna Lee Michaaels, Aaron Scott, and Sally Sherwood! Whew!!! I got tired just writing all those names!

Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV with actor/priest Roger Fawcett backstage at the West End Theatre!

It was a fantastic night, but because nothing ever runs perfectly smoothly, Roger wound up in an emergency room because a small piece of his earpiece got wedged deeply in his ear and he couldn’t get it out! Fortunately he’s fine, and the play was a hit! So if you get a chance to see it or Roger, drop whatever you’re doing at the moment, and run out and see him, … or it! (LOL)