Ten years ago, Jesse Tyler Ferguson was seen on Broadway in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, an ensemble musical comedy. On April 25, the man of Modern Family fame returns to his roots, this time in a one-man straight play. Don鈥檛 worry; it鈥檚 still a comedy. In fact, it鈥檚 also a homecoming for comedic director Jason Moore (Avenue Q, Pitch Perfect) after his foray into Hollywood.
But Ferguson and Moore are not just talents, they鈥檙e innovators. So the revival, which debuted Off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre in 1999, has been updated by playwright Becky Mode to suit Moore鈥檚 vision and Ferguson鈥檚 gifts.
The show鈥檚 producers first approached Mode to ask how she felt about making changes to her finished work about an out-of-work actor/reservationist at one of New York鈥檚 hottest restaurants and the cast of characters (played by that same actor) dialing in. 鈥淎t first it was a little scary, the thought of it. Anything you finish you鈥檙e like, 鈥榃ait, it鈥檚 not finished?鈥� she says. 鈥淸It was] also a little intimidating to figure out what to change and what not to change because it was a play that worked in its time in its way.鈥�
Moore鈥檚 input and direction allowed Mode to reimagine and spice up the original enough to make it feel fresh without changing the structure that made the show funny in the first place.
鈥淚t was just done in London as originally written, and now that I think about the updates, I feel that that was an inspired move,鈥� says Mode. 鈥淚 feel like certain things were surgically altered, the essential shape of the play is very much the same.鈥�
Most of the alterations serve to create a more contemporary context for the show. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a sense of the changing technology,鈥� Mode explains. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a sense of the celebrity chef culture that has exploded in a different way than it had the first time around. The types of cuisine that鈥檚 on the menu in this particular restaurant is very different than last time.鈥�
It鈥檚 all in the details. 鈥淓very single food item is different and that鈥檚 been a hoot,鈥� says Mode. 鈥淚t infuses the whole play and gives it a new flavor.鈥�
She also wanted to tailor the show to her new leading man. 鈥淪ome of the personal stuff I feel like we鈥檝e textured and beefed up a little bit,鈥� she says. (Any wonder that she wrote a play set in a restaurant?)
鈥淢aking the comedy work is a combination of several things,鈥� says Moore. 鈥淥ne: The script has to be funny. If the script isn鈥檛 funny, the actors have nothing to build on.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檇 seen Fully Committed years ago, I thought it was incredibly funny [because] it鈥檚 based on a really relatable true situation,鈥� says Moore. As far as theatre goes, 鈥渢he more based in truth it is, the funnier it is,鈥� which speaks to Moore鈥檚 push for updates in the first place.
鈥淚 think part of the job of the director in a comedy is to assemble those right people and create a safe place where everybody can feel comfortable being totally weird and failing,鈥� Moore continues. In other words, Moore wanted to create one giant test kitchen in hopes he could whip up the perfect dish.
Ruthie Fierberg is the Features Editor at 半岛体育.com. She has also written for Backstage, Parents and American Baby, including dozens of interviews with celeb moms and dads for parents.com. See more at and follow her on Twitter at .
