‘McNeal’ on Broadway: Everything you need to know about the story, actors and how to get tickets
McNeal, a new play by Pulitzer winner Ayad Akhtar starring Robert Downey Jr. in his Broadway debut, premiered at Lincoln Center Theater’s Vivian Beaumont earlier this week, and the reviews are already in.
Although not likely landing on our theater critic’s list of best Broadway shows in NYC, the production certainly appeals: the theme is relevant (A.I.’s potential at taking over the writing industry) and the main actor provides the sort of star power that Broadway shows seem to crave these days.
“Nothing in McNeal is convincing: The characters are thin, the timelines are off, the situations are at once implausible and cliché,” writes critic Adam Feldman on Time Out. “These factors and others add to the sense that maybe—and I am not being sarcastic—McNeal is not very good on purpose. All of these actors and the play’s director, Bartlett Sher, have done excellent work in the past, and Akhtar won a Pulitzer Prize for Disgraced; they can do better than this. And it is clear from the start that we are witnessing a metatheatrical exercise of applied technology.”
Alas, you should consider heading to the theater and judging the work on your own before the production officially closes on November 24.
Below, everything there is to know about McNeal, from plot points to casting news and, of course, how to snag tickets.
What is the new play McNeal about?
McNeal stars Downey Jr. as famous writer Jacob McNeal. Often a candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature who is dealing with the advent of artificial intelligence and its impact on the industry. In the 105-minute-long play, the character also explores his relationship with his estranged son and a possibly fatal liver condition.
Who are the actors in McNeal?
Downey Jr. is joined on stage by Melora Hardin of The Office and Monk fame as Francine Blake, the protagonist’s former mistress. Ruthie Ann Miles takes on the role of Sahra Grewal, McNeal’s doctor, and Andrea Martin plays his agent Stephie Banic. The cast also features Rafi Gavron as McNeal’s son and Brittany Bellizeare as a young, Black New York Times reporter.
Are tickets still available to see McNeal?
Yes, tickets are still available to catch Downey Jr. in McNeal on Broadway. You can browse through available options, which range in price from $196 to $371, right here.
As usual, there are no shows playing on Mondays. Weekday shows on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays start at 7pm. On Saturdays, the cast stars in two performances: a matinee at 2pm and an evening show at 8pm. On Sundays, performances start at 3pm.