UPDATE THURS AUG 7: The play is called “Fish in the Dark” now. I guess no one knew what ‘shiva’ meant, but that was the title. Patrick Healy of the NY Times, a real piece of work, managed to throw this site a link only by way of saying something nasty. Vulture of NY Magazine credited the story to the Times. And contrary to Healy, Larry David did tell me last January, when I broke the story, that Jerry Seinfeld might be involved in some way. The Times has plagiarism problems already reported elsewhere. Obviously, no one is paying attention to what’s going on there.
EARLIER:
I told you in January, exclusively, that Larry David told me he’d written a play intended for Broadway. He told me then that Jerry Seinfeld might be involved, either as an actor or producer. That story, I see now, really got picked up, often without credit.
So here goes the next chapter. Now I’m told that Larry’s play is called “Shiva,” as in sitting shiva (pronounced shih-vah for those of you who aren’t sure). Larry wasn’t going to star in it, but now he is, as the producer– Scott Rudin–has convinced him otherwise.
Larry David, Scott Rudin, comedy, Broadway. This is called “a sure thing.” I don’t know if Jerry is still involved. Seinfeld has his own projects, including his wonderful “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” and something he’s doing with buddy Colin Quinn.
Meantime, Rudin’s “Book of Mormon” continues to top the Broadway box office. His revival of “A Raisin in the Sun” with Denzel Washington was the hit of this past spring season, winning Tony Awards for the production and actress Sophie Okonedo.
PS Suddenly, sitting shiva— the Jewish period of mourning after a funeral– is becoming popular as a subject. Shawn Levy’s upcoming movie “There is Where I Leave You” with Jason Bateman, Tina Fey and Jane Fonda also uses it as a dramatic conceit. And Larry himself has used it a lot in “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” I say it’s okay as long as there’s a lot of lox and decent bagels.
