To Be or Not To Be Delays Previews and Resets Opening Night

Manhattan Theatre Club has postponed the first preview and opening night of its Broadway premiere production of Nick Whitby's To Be or Not To Be. The play, which had already delayed previews by two days, will now give its first performance on September 16 rather than September 13 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Opening night, which has been set for October 2, has been rescheduled for October 14.

Two leading actors departed To Be or Not To Be during rehearsals: Craig Bierko was replaced by David Rasche, and Brian Murray was replaced by Peter Maloney. The cast also includes Peter Benson, Robert Dorfman, Steve Kazee, Jan Maxwell, Michael McCarty, Kristine Nielsen, Brandon Perler, Rocco Sisto, Jimmy Smagula, and Marina Squerciati. Casey Nicholaw is the director.

Based on the 1942 film comedy of the same name, To Be or Not To Be centers on the acting couple Joseph and Maria Tura Rasche and Maxwell, who are about to open yet another smash with their theatrical troupe at the Polski Theatre in 1939 Warsaw. As the German invasion gets underway, the theater is closed by the censors, forcing the troupe to face desperate times. But when a handsome young bomber pilot enlists their help to catch a spy, what is a group of actors to do?