Two plays that had been announced for Broadway this spring - Beth Henley’s “Miss Firecracker Contest†and Eric Coble’s “Velocity of Autumn†- have been postponed, according to the lead producer of both shows.
The producer, Larry Kaye, a newcomer to Broadway, said on Tuesday that he was delaying “Miss Firecracker†after scheduling conflicts “that stood in the way of getting our particular dream cast.†Mr. Kaye declined to comment on the actors in question, but one he was eyeing, Parker Posey, became unavailable because of a comedy pilot she is developing for NBC. (An agent for Ms. Posey did not reply to messages this week seeking comment.) “Miss Firecracker†had been set to star the Emmy Award nominee Amber Tamblyn (“Joan of Arcadiaâ€) in the lead role, whic was played by Holly Hunter in the original Off Broadway production in 1984.
As for “The Velocity of Autumn,†which was set to star Oscar winner Estelle Parsons and Tony winner Stephen Spinella, Mr. Kaye said that he was unable to secure “a suitable theater this season that would be a great fit for this two-person, very intimate play.†The best-sized playhouses ended up going to coming shows like “Orphans,†“I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers,†“The Testament of Mary,†and “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike†- all of which have veteran Broadway producers with strong track records and pools of investors.
Mr. Kaye said he had not finished raising the $2 million to $3 million for each show, but had been optimistic that he would have, with the right cast and theater. He said he was still hoping to do both plays on Broadway, perhaps during the 2013-14 season, but had no firm plans at this point.
