Producer Scott Rudin gambled a lot on Glenda Jackson playing “King Lear” on Broadway. He lost. The production has announced its final performance will be on Sunday, June 9th matinee, just before the Tony Awards. That’s a month earlier than previously announced. “King Lear” got mixed reviews, and never found a following among theatergoers.  At the time of its closing, it will have played 34 preview performances and 76 regular performances.

“Lear” won’t be Rudin’s only show to close up shop soon. The dreadful “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus” starring Nathan Lane is only taking in an average of $260,000 a week. Its potential take is $866,704. “Gary” is unlikely to win any Tonys. Watch for that closing notice soon.

Rudin also has Laurie Metcalf and John Lithgow in the very slight “Hillary and Clinton.” This play is set to close anyway on July 21st, so Metcalf can get back to “The Conners,” and Lithgow to his film career. Lucas Hnath’s play also never caught on with the audience, making just $330,00 last week, and in decline each week its had performances. If Metcalf doesn’t win a Tony (she won last year and the year before, but I don’t think so this time), they may wrap up early. Hold on.

Luckily, Rudin is still printing money with “To Kill a Mockingbird,” which wasn’t nominated for Best Play. That doesn’t matter. They’ve so much on ads, and the PR the last three week for Jeff Daniels has been on an Oscar level. If Daniels doesn’t win Best Actor, it won’t be for lack of trying. Rudin also has “Book of Mormon,” now on discount.

Tony Award voting begins next week, and no one seems to know whether Best Musical will go to “Tootsie” or “Hadestown.” Best Play should go to “The Ferryman.” Best Revival of a Play should go to “All My Sons,” and I’d love to see Annette Bening win Best Actress in a Play. But there’s a strong movement for Elaine May, which would be a lovely moment.

Best Revival of a Musical pits the beloved “Kiss Me Kate” against the angst ridden “Oklahoma!” Just those two: flip a coin. My choice for Best Actress in a Play is Beth Leavel, in “The Prom.” Best Actor in a Musical should go to Alex Brightman in “Beetlejuice,” but I have a feeling Santino Fontana will get it for playing Dustin Hoffman in “Tootsie.” My other choices are Best Featured Actress in a Musical-Amber Grey for “Hadestown” and Best Featured Actress in a Play– Fionnula Flanagan, who must win for “The Ferryman.”

The good news is that Michael Shannon and Audra McDonald sizzle in “Frankie and Johnny,” Terrence McNally’s classic two hander about a short order cook and a waitress who fall into bed.

In last night’s opening, these fine actors– among the best of their generation– were on fire. They were also naked, which, if you remember, has always been a big part of this play. The two lovers are post-coital when we meet them, and McNally serves up a realistic setting. Luckily, I was a couple of minutes late for the curtain and wound up standing in the back so I didn’t get a close up evaluation. I was just worried that they were cold. (I wasn’t alone standing; Christine Baranski came five five minutes late, too. Fun!)

The acting is superb and so is the direction by first timer Aris Arbus, who’s also the daughter of the late great actor Allan Arbus, half sister of Amy Arbus, and not the daughter of Diane Arbus. She’s made a commanding debut as director, including giving the couple a working kitchen. (They actually make eggs and toast.)

So why wasn’t “Frankie and Johnny” part of this year’s Tony eligible revivals? McDonald, who has 6  Tony Awards, has been a recurring character on CBS’s “The Good Fight” for the last year. According to people in the know, CBS refused to let her do this production while she was still filming episodes. Many actors combine Broadway with TV, it’s a long tradition. But CBS wouldn’t hear of it. So the producers couldn’t start until “The Good Fight” wrapped its season. The run ends in August. So, no Tonys. But “Frankie and Johnny” would have been key in this year’s awards otherwise.

The last time “Frankie and Johnny” was revived, the actors were Stanley Tucci and Edie Falco. They wound up falling in love in real life, which caused some problems. I don’t think that will happen here, but Shannon and McDonald have ample chemistry. It’s thrilling to watch them work. They reminded me of Jason Robards and Colleen Dewhurst, legendary talents. When I asked Michael about their rapport after the show last night he said, “Neither one of is fancy people, I think that’s what it is. We are there to do the play. We don’t even know there’s an audience. We are really in the moment.”

I met Audra McDonald’s mother after the show, and she said she wasn’t familiar with (Oscar nominee) Michael Shannon. She was surprised to learn, from me and from Audra’s husband, Broadway star Will Swenson, that Shannon often plays disturbed or menacing characters on screen.

“Really?” said Audra’s mom. “He’s such a nice man.” Shannon, who’s about six foot three, swooped down and hugged Mrs. McDonald, who’s about four foot nine. Love was in the air.