By Aaron Krause
Saturday Night Live was a major part of South Florida performer Ryan Crout’s childhood. Understandably, then, he’s excited to perform in a play about the show’s beginnings – in New York City, the metropolis that birthed SNL.
Crout is part of the Off-Broadway cast of Not Ready for Prime Time, a play based on true events which began previews this Sunday, ahead of its scheduled opening Oct. 20. The production will initially run through Nov. 30 at The Newman Mills Theater at The Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space, 511 W. 52nd St. in New York City.
Crout, who will make his New York stage debut in the production, was part of the cast that performed the play by South Florida writers Erik J. Rodriguez and Charles A. Sothers in Miami in 2022 at the Westchester Cultural Arts Center in a co-production by the Roxy Theatre Group, Broadway Factor, and Grove House Productions. As he did in South Florida, Crout will portray SNL original star John Belushi.
“It’s incredibly exciting to return to a role I care about so much in the city where SNL was created and still thrives today,” Crout said. “My approach to John has definitely changed and adapted. Since the Miami run, I have had more theater and life experience that I feel can only help. I conducted extensive research into John and to those who were close to him to see not only how the public perceived him, but personal stories and interactions to better understand his character, motivations, energy and what drives him.”
Crout says since audiences know Belushi so well and he was such a major part of their culture and life, he wants to bring as much realism to the character as possible.
“He’s not an imaginary character made for a particular story or plot,” Crout said. “People grew up with him and watched him on a weekly basis. While not over-exaggerating or creating a caricature, I’m doing my best to stay true to him and his story and character in a way that I hope would make John Belushi proud of my portrayal.”
Crout says what surprised him most about Belushi (1949–1982) was the star’s sensitivity.
“John was a deeply sensitive individual,” Crout says. “This, I found to be most surprising considering his rebellious nature and immense energy and physicality. Everything he did had this incredible intensity behind it, so to discover the softer and more vulnerable side to him was truly enlightening.”
Behind the Scenes of a Comedy Revolution
Of course, Belushi was just one of a handful of actors who performed during SNL’s earliest days during the 1970s. Back then, Belushi and Co. were nicknamed the Not Ready for Prime Time Players, hence the name of Rodriguez’s and Sothers’ play. In fact, the Not Ready for Prime Time Players was the official on-air name of the troupe during the first three seasons of what would become SNL.
The play takes place in 1975 and follows nine soon-to-be legends – actors Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Laraine Newman, Gilda Radner and producer Lorne Michaels.
During the play, the Not Ready for Prime Time Players “navigate the chaos, creativity, and comedy that changed television forever,” reads press material for the upcoming Off-Broadway production. “This new play pulses with live music, quick wit, and backstage mayhem, capturing the electric atmosphere of a cultural revolution in the making.”
“From the writers’ room battles to the live-on-air adrenaline, this fast-paced and irreverent play dives into the personalities, clashes, and lightning-in-a-bottle moments that built an American institution,” the release states.
Sothers calls it a “blessing” that he and Rodriguez can share their play with New York audiences during the 50th anniversary of SNL’s birth — but he adds that the anniversary isn’t the only reason to stage Not Ready for Prime Time now.
“We hoped to tell the story to all future audiences that can appreciate a rags-to-riches, man’s struggle, family drama that will make you shoot soda through your nose next to hundreds of fellow theatergoers who are doing the same.”
“We began telling this story because of our love of those TV trailblazers almost 15 years ago, and along the way, we discovered this wholly human story of pain and love and struggle, whose calculus equaled unforgettable comedy,” Sothers said.
He and Rodriguez felt moved to write the play after learning about “an apparently well-known altercation” between Murray and Chase that occurred backstage immediately before an episode was to air. At the time, Rodriguez and Sothers were in a production together in Miami.
“While waiting backstage ourselves, he asked me if I had ever heard of the fight, and I said I hadn’t, but that it would make for an interesting play,” Sothers said. “He asked if I was serious about doing something like that, and so began an almost 15-year journey to suss out the most dramatically interesting aspects of the first five seasons and its first cast, the Not Ready for Prime Time Players.”
Sothers said each iteration of the script has improved on the last, “thanks to the insights we gleaned from the incredibly talented performers who took on the monumental challenge of portraying these iconic figures of live television sketch comedy.”
Sothers added the script has also improved thanks to dramaturgs helping him and Rodriguez “cut the fat and finesse the dialogue.”
What is the most obvious difference between the Miami run and the upcoming Off-Broadway engagement? This time around, “we’re delivering this baby to its birthplace, so the vibe is different, the audiences will be different, and the talent has a different sensibility, so our anxiety has also taken on a particular New York neurotic sheen,” Sothers said. “And when the actor playing Chevy Chase (Woodrow Proctor) says, ‘Live from New York,’ he’ll really mean it.”
Joining Proctor and Crout in the cast are Ian Bouillon as Lorne Michaels, Jared Grimes as Garrett Morris, Caitlin Houlahan as Jane Curtin, Nate Janis as Bill Murray, Kristian Lugo as Dan Aykroyd, Taylor Richardson as Laraine Newman, and Evan Rubin as Gilda Radner.
Conor Bagley directed the production in Miami, and he remains in that role.
“The talent we’ve assembled for Not Ready for Prime Time is nothing short of extraordinary,” Bagley said in a prepared statement. “This cast not only channels the subversive spirit and razor-sharp humor of the original legends but also unearths the heart, vulnerability, and relationships that fueled their groundbreaking work. Our story dives into the personal journeys behind the laughter – the rivalries, the camaraderie, and the sacrifices – that defined a comedy revolution and made this group unforgettable. I couldn’t be more thrilled to bring their world to life for a new generation of audiences.”
Sothers said what’s “truly shocking” is that “although this story has 50 years of patina, the stories you’ll watch will seem pretty timely. The story of SNL’s creator, Lorne Michaels, is pretty amazing on its own; that man has had the most interesting trajectory leading up to the genesis of SNL and beyond. There could honestly be a few shows created with the experiences he alone has had.”
What do the writers want today’s audiences to take away from the play?
“Hopefully, audiences come away seeing that SNL has endured these 50 years, not just because it set the standard for live television comedy, but because it’s not immune to bad decisions and personal crises; so there needs to be a talented genius at the helm who understands the zeitgeist of each decade, how production actually works, and how to put the right talent in the right roles.”
As for Crout, he says he’s grateful and humbled to be performing Off-Broadway with this team and cast. “Just thankful every day for the opportunity,” he says.
Not Ready for Prime Time is scheduled to run through Nov. 30. Performance 7 p.m. Monday, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. Playing at the Newman Mills Theater at The Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space, 511 W. 52nd St. in New York City. For tickets and more information, visit www.notreadyforprimetimeplay.com.
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