'Dark Comedy' The Boys In The Band Opens July 22

MADISON, CT — The Madison Lyric Stage presents Mart Crowley’s landmark play The Boys in the Band for eight performances July 22 to Aug. 1.

Described as, "Both hilarious and poignant, the dark comedy" will be presented outdoors under a large tent on the grounds of Madison’s Deacon John Grave House.

The Tony-Award winning play revolves around a group of gay men who gather for a birthday party in New York City in 1968, and the explosive truth and secrets that are revealed as the evening wears on.

"The play is a time capsule of gay life at the time -- before Stonewall, before AIDS, before marriage equality," explained artistic director Marc Deaton of Madison Lyric Stage, a professional theater company serving the Connecticut shoreline and the Connecticut River valley. "We invite audiences to travel back in time with us and experience the wit, humor and heartbreak that this revelatory play delivers."

The Boys in the Band premiered Off-Broadway in 1968 and was turned into a film with its original cast the next year by director William Friedkin. In 2018, it premiered on Broadway for its 50th anniversary, winning the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play, and was a celebrated Netflix film produced by Ryan Murphy in 2020.

Playing to sold-out audiences during its initial run, the play was groundbreaking for its humorous and poignant portrayal of gay life. The play has been called "a true theatrical game-changer, helping spark a revolution by putting gay men's lives onstage — unapologetically and without judgment — in a world that was not yet willing to fully accept them."

The Boys in the Band will be presented in association with the New Haven Pride Center, and a portion of all ticket sales will benefit the Center's youth programming.

"We are thrilled to present The Boys in the Band, featuring a diverse and inclusive cast of actors from Connecticut and New York City," Deaton said.

Audiences are invited to arrive early for a pre-show that will feature music of the era, along with a signature cocktail and other drinks.

Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by visiting madisonlyricstage.org, or by calling 203-215-6329. Show times are Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 5:00 p.m. The Deacon John Grave House is located at 581 Boston Post Road in Madison.