Reviews: What Do Critics Think of Pay the Writer, Starring Marcia Cross, Bryan Batt, Ron Canada?

Pay the Writer, a timely new play from Tawni O'Dell (Back Roads), officially opened Off-Broadway August 21 following previews that began August 13, and reviews are beginning to roll in. The production continues through September 30 at The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center with Karen Carpenter (Love, Loss, and What I Wore) at the helm.

The cast features Ron Canada (Network) as writer Cyrus Holt, Marcia Cross (Desperate Housewives) as Lana Holt, Bryan Batt (Mad Men) as literary agent Bruston Fischer, Steven Hauck (The Velocity of Autumn) as Jean Luc, Miles G. Jackson (Chicken & Biscuits) as Young Bruston and Taz, Garrett Turner (Tina - The Tina Turner Musical) as Young Cyrus, Danielle J. Summons (Baby) as Gigi, and Stephen Payne (Straight White Men) as Homeless Man.

Read the reviews here:

The New Yorker (Alex Barasch)

The New York Times (Rhoda Feng)*

Newsnotes Dance Blog (Mark Kappel)

TheaterMania (Zachary Stewart)

TheaterPizzazz (Ron Fassler)

Talkin' Broadway (James Wilson)

Queerty (Ryan Leeds)

TheaterLife (Samuel L. Leiter)

The Wall Street Journal (Charles Isherwood)*

Woman Around Town (Alix Cohen)

*This review requires creating a free account or a paid subscription.

Playbill will continue to update this list as reviews come in.

The new play follows the friendship between a white, gay literary agent and his best friend and most successful client, a gifted Black writer.

The sold-out first preview served as a benefit in support of the Writers Guild of America, which is currently on strike. Additional benefit performances were held August 14 and 20 to meet demand.

The production also features scenic design by David Gallo, costume design by David C. Woolard, lighting design by Chistopher Akerlind, sound design by Bill Toles, and props by Yuki Nakamura.

The limited run is produced by Alexander "Sandy" Marshall, Mitchell Maxwell, Giles Cole, and MarMaxMedia.