He was the funniest man in the room. And the most unfiltered. North Coast Repertory Theatre presents the West Coast Premiere of Good Night, Oscar, Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Wright's compassionate and wickedly funny portrait of Oscar Levant — pianist, actor, composer, and legendary wit whose sharp tongue was matched only by his profound musical genius. Set during a fateful 1958 appearance on The Jack Paar Show, this electrifying play captures one unforgettable night in the life of Hollywood's most neurotic and uncensored personality: a tortured artist wrestling with mental illness, addiction, and the price of fame, yet never losinghiscapacityfordevastatinghonestyandbreathtakingartistry.OnBroadway,SeanHayeswonthe2023Tony AwardforBestActorinaPlayforhisperformanceasLevant.Equalpartscomedyandtragedy,GoodNight,Oscar is a love letter to the golden age of television and a showcase for theatrical virtuosity — the story of a man performing himself for an audience, decades before the internet made everyone do it.
"Aplaythatisasfunnyasitistragic."—JackTheLadMagazine
"Perenniallyrelevant...providesadeeplythoughtfultakeonhowsocialhypocrisiesdrivepopularculture."—
ChicagoSun-Times
"Blisteringlyfunny,razor-sharpanddeeplymoving."–NYTimes
"Awaspish,compulsive,meticulouslywell-craftedpieceoftheatre"-WhatsOnStage
Tom Frey directs David Corlew* (Oscar Levant), Megan Carmitchel (June Levant), Jay DeYonker* (George Gershwin), Isaiah Frazilus (Alvin Finney), Brian Mackey* (Jack Paar), Jason Maddy* (Bob Sarnoff), and Wyatt VanHazel (Max Weinbaum). Shannon Humiston* is Stage Manager & Kinzey Eastin Production Assistant.The DesignTeamincludes.MichaelWogulus(SetDesign),MatthewNovotny(LightDesign),ElisaBenzoni(Costume Design),TristanKing(SoundDesign)andChrisopherWilliams(PropsDesign).CrewincludesClarenceLightfoot.
*TheactororstagemanagerappearsthroughthecourtesyofActors'EquityAssociation.
Forphotos,gotowww.northcoastrep.org/press.
GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR previews begin Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at 8:00 pm, with a Friday preview matinee at 2:00 pm. Opening Night September 19. Closing Night is Sunday, October 11, 2026,. The show runs Wednesdays,Thursdays,FridayandSundaysat7:00pm,aSaturdayeveningsat8:00pm,andSaturdayandSunday matinees at 2:00 pm. Additional matinees are added September 18 and October 2 at 2:00 pm.
NorthCoastRepislocatedat987LomasSantaFeDrive,SolanaBeach,CA92075.Forcompleteperformance schedule and ticket information, call 858-481-1055, or visit www.northcoastrep.org.