Marin Ireland plays Steph in Broadway production of reasons to be pretty (Photo: Robert J. Saferstein)

Now that reasons to be pretty has arrived in its new home on Broadway with it's half-new cast, revised script here are my reasons to be enthusiastic:

The Lyceum is a good choice for Neil LaBute's Broadway debut, big enough to accommodate a larger audience than the Lucille Lortel downtown but not too big for this four character play to look lost or the audience too distanced from the four actors.

All four of those actors are terrific. Mr. LaBute rather extensive reworking of the script makes Thomas Sadoski's Greg even more the central character of this coming of age story. And Sadoski, who was excellent off-Broadway is even better now as the working class guy with a taste for literature who has allowed himself to drift into a go-nowhere job, as well as a go-nowhere relationship. While it's a little slip of the tongue that causes girlfriend Steph to be enraged enough to leave him, what seems like a small mistake blown out of proportion is big and important enough to set off unexpressed insecurities in all four character. But more than anything, it marks the beginning of Greg's coming of age trajectory: No longer allowing his long-time buddy Kent, to bully him and keep him locked in an immature macho friendship; realizing that he's been using his love of literature as an escape rather than as a means towards a more fulfilling life; and dealing with the angry situation created by a careless remark in a loving and mature way.

As I've already said, the whole cast is excellent. And the replacements of the original Steph and Kent are in no way second best. The fact that Marin Ireland doesn't have the in your face, drop dead prettiness of Alison Pill adds a degree of believability and nuance to her being so thrown by Greg's referring to her face as "regular " as part of a conversation with Kent about a spectacularly pretty new employee. Pasquale brings the required charisma to the duplicitous Kent. Piper Perabo who plays Carli has, like Sadoski, made her character richer. Her face when she realizes the truth about her marriage is a real heart twister.

The play has not, as rumors during rehearsals had it, been cut to an intermissionless 90 minutes. However, it IS more streamlined with the thoughts expressed via audience-addressing monologues by each character now incorporated into the characters conversations. This makes for a more natural, less stage-y play.

David Gallo's moveable set— complete with its unmoving symbolic frame of warehouse shelves stacked with the boxes Greg and Kent pack— fits the Lyceum stage just fine.

Except for the changes in the cast and the monologue-less structure, my comments about the Off-Broadway productions still apply. That review covers why I feel the lower-cased title is as aptly symbolic as those boxes framing the otherwise move-about set as well as links to previous reviews of LaBute plays. To read that original review, just scroll down past the production notes.

Production Notes: reasons to be pretty
By Neil LaBute
Directed by Terry Kinney
Cast: (*for actors reprising original roles) *Thomas Sadoski (Greg), Marin Ireland (Steph),* Piper Perabo (Carly) and Steven Pasquale (Kent). Sets: David Gallo
Costumes: Sarah J. Holden
Lighting: David Wiener
Music & Sound: Rob Milburn & Michael Bodeen
Fight Director: Manny Silverio
Production manager: Christine Lemme
Lyceum Theater, 149 West 45th Street, Manhattan; (212) 239-6200.
Running time: 2 hours 15 minutes, including one intermission after 50 minutes. Reviewed by Elyse Sommer April 3