'Enter Laughing' Is A Smash

“Enter Laughing” is the breakout comedy hit of the summer.

The musical, now staging at Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, is the perfect vehicle for Broadway star-in-the making Josh Grisetti, who plays David Kolowitz, the show’s charmingly befuddled, endearing lead—a young man who is filled with delusions of acting grandeur.

Playing the character of David, based loosely on the life of a young Carl Reiner (the musical is based on the play “Enter Laughing,” which was based on the semi-autobiographical book written by Mr. Reiner), Mr. Grisetti brings to mind a young Matthew Broderick in his Tony-winning turn in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” Add physical comedy skills comparable to comedian Martin Short, and you’ll quickly get the idea of the caliber of Mr. Grisetti’s formidable talent.

But that is not to say that the star of “Enter Laughing” isn’t his own man. With an impeccable sense of genius comic timing and a hilariously rubber mug utilized to full effect in milking the last drop of funny out of every expression, the winsome Mr. Grisetti plays his fantasy-plagued character to the hilt.

It takes a very, very good actor to play such a terrible actor. And Mr. Grisetti, who has already won the Theatre World Award and received NY Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle, and Lucille Lortel nominations for the same role on Broadway, is just the guy.

But Mr. Grisetti has some serious competition on his hands when it comes to laugh-getting. Actor Richard Kind, who hilariously chews up the scenery as failed theater owner Harrison Marlowe, practically steals the show whenever he is on stage. On opening night, thanks in large part to Mr. Kind’s antics, the last scenes of the comedy were so outrageously funny it took the actors twice the time to deliver their lines because they had to wait for the roar of the audience to subside.

Add a stellar cast of immensely skilled actors—Michael Tucker, Jill Eikenberry, Kate Shindle, Gino Milo, Emily Shoolin, Betsy DiLellio, Ray DeMattis, Eric Mann, Paul Binotto, Erick Devine and Gerry McIntyre—and it’s easy to see why this show is a hit.

Ms. Shindle, playing the delusional ingenue Angela Marlowe, is another standout. She plays her character with a mixture of va-va-va-voom and ridiculousness, in a good way. One of her most memorable scenes (there were many) was when she sang “The Man I Can Love,” which was so reminiscent of Madeline Khan’s performance in “Blazing Saddles” that this reviewer expected her to break out into a rendition “I’m Tired” at any moment.

Mr. Tucker and Mr. DeMattis also had the crowd clapping aplenty with their “Hot Cha Cha” song-and-dance routine near the end of the musical.

Another star of the show, which I would be remiss to mention, is the very clever set, which brilliantly utilizes a series of screens to show location. A key part of the performance included the balletic moving of the furniture and props by the actors themselves at the end of each scene.

Bottom line: buy tickets to this show before it sells out every performance.

“Enter Laughing” is staging at Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor through September 4. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m. with matinees on Wednesdays at 2 p.m. and Saturdays at 4 p.m. Tickets are $65 and $76. For reservations, visit BayStreet.org or call the box office at 725-9500.