a new stage show in NY

There is an article running in the current online NY Times about
a live theatre performance called "Matt and Ben." The premise
is that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who did the movie "Good Will
Hunting," were hanging around their apartment trying to convert
"Catcher in the Rye" to a movie script, and the script for "Good
Will Hunting" dropped out of the sky (a literal deus ex
machina). The review says, in part:

> Brenda Withers and Mindy Kaling, former Dartmouth classmates
>now in their mid-20's, are. In "Matt & Ben," their deliciously
>spiteful sendup of Hollywood's naked emperors in general and
>Mr. Damon and Mr. Affleck in particular, they play the title
>characters on the very brink of their fame. In Ms. Kaling and
>Ms. Withers's version of the story, however, "Good Will
>Hunting" wasn't written by Mr. Affleck and Mr. Damon. It
>literally fell, a manuscript fully composed and wrapped in
>brown paper, from the ceiling into Mr. Affleck's
>collegiate-style apartment while the two aspiring stars were
>engaged in a whole other project: adapting "Catcher in the Rye"
>for the movies.

and:

> Each of the actresses also does a short stint as someone else:
>Ms. Kaling, who has dark skin and dark hair, makes an entrance
>as Gwyneth Paltrow. And Ms. Withers does a terrific impression
>of J. D. Salinger, or at least a terrific impression of what
>you might imagine J. D. Salinger to be like.

I don't want to violate the NY Times rules on reproducing their
content (forbidden), so you can go now and see it for yourself
at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/12/arts/theater/12MATT.html

It's free of charge, but you may have to register.

I don't think I'll have time to run over to check it out, but
I've been to other shows at PS 122, and they're usually pretty
good.

The photo that accompanies the article shows one of the leads
wearing a hunting cap backwards, a la Holden. It all sounds
very amusing. One can only imagine what JDS would say if he
became aware....

I thought people might be interested in hearing about it. If
you are a fellow NYC resident and you happen to make it to see
the show, please let us know what you think.

--tim o'connor

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Received on Sat Aug 16 09:00:13 2003