This comedy by the author of
Moonchildren and
Loose Ends is a hilarious satire of megalomania in the New York theatre. A struggling playwright is ecstatic when his play is chosen to be produced at the People’s Playhouse, a major Off-Broadway theatre run by egomaniacal Arthur Dick. Dick’s resident playwright has exited with his newest play, and a replacement is needed fast. The movie star cast in the starring role is too old and comes with the requisite girlfriend who is long on looks and short on acting ability. Rehearsals are chaos, and the playwright walks out; the work no longer resembles what he wrote. The show is a hit; predictably, the critics praise the star but damn the playwright, who, nonetheless, finds himself trapped in Dick’s web and slated to write his next project: a new musical for a famous rock star.