Among the most prolific and popular writers of his day, S. N. Behrman penned glittering comedies that both celebrated and satirized New York’s smart set, poking fun at their foibles while exposing their self-doubt. Once a Broadway mainstay, Behrman’s plays were largely forgotten until the Mint’s production of NO TIME FOR COMEDY, the play’s first professional production in N.Y. since its 1939 Broadway premiere.

“Is it true that this is no time for comedy,” asked the New York Herald Tribune back in 1939, “or is this just the day when comedy is most necessary to the preservation of what is left of the world’s sanity?” In a city still stunned by the aftermath of 9/11, Behrman’s piercing comedy—which tells the story of a playwright who wrestles with his guilt over writing comedies as the world teeters on the brink of war—offered startling resonance.

“Wit, sophistication, charm—where do you find it these days? At the Mint Theater…an evening of good smart fun,”1 hailed Performing Arts INSIDER of NO TIME FOR COMEDY in 2002. “A sparkling and unexpectedly insightful piece…thought-provoking, entertaining, and remarkably timely”2 wrotenytheatre.com‘s Martin Denton.

For a man of sophisticated wit, SN Behrman was also a man of humble upbringing.  The son of Jewish immigrants, born in 1893 and raised in Worchester, Massachusetts, Behrman studied playwriting at Harvard as a member of George Pierce Baker’s illustrious Workshop 47.  His talent for high comedy earned him a reputation as the American Noel Coward, though his work often displayed his deep interest in, and concern for world affairs.  In 1929, his wrote his first piece for The New Yorker, where he quickly became a regular, and much beloved, contributor of essays, profiles and memoirs.  Behrman also wrote a number of screenplays including Anna Karenina, The Tale of Two Cities and Ninotchka.

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CAST

  • Gaylord Easterbrook Simon Brooking
  • Amanda Smith Hope Chernov
  • Mary Diane Ciesla
  • Linda Easterbrook Leslie Denniston
  • Philo Smith Ted Pejovich
  • Makepeace Lovell Shawn Sturnick
  • Robert Jason Summers

CREATIVES

  • Set Design Tony Andrea
  • Lighting Design Peter West
  • Costume Design Jayde Chabot
  • Sound Design Jane Shaw
  • Properties Designer Judi Guralnick
  • Production Stage Manager Allison Deutsch
  • Assistant Stage Manager Sara Friedman
  • Text Coach Robert Neff Williams
  • Press Representative David Gersten & Associates
  • Graphic Design Hey Jude Design, Inc.

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