Celebrity Autobiography is unlike any other show on Broadway this season. It features a rotating roster of stars unafraid to really go there and do some very wonky and wacky celebrity impersonations. With an ever-changing cast, you never know which combo of autobiographies you will hear. While a handful seem to be standard every night, it’s those surprise stories that will keep you coming back again and again. For my show, the audience was roaring with laughter practically the entire time. Embracing the hilarity in self-serious autobiographies, Celebrity Autobiography offers up rapid-fire pull quotes and major laughs.
Celebrity Autobiography has been segmented out into various sections, such as a poet corner, a fitness area, and even a grand finale. There always seems to be a specific structure to the laughs, even though they clearly are reading the real celebrities’ words. At the top of the show, our emcee (Eugene Pack) tells us that the writing is read directly from real published autobiographies. Truly, they could not make this stuff up even if they tried. The preposterousness of the prose is all part of the wacky charm.
As far as the set design is concerned, they keep things very simple. There are rows of bricks, a bench for seats, some books on a shelf, and a whole line of microphones for each member of our rotating lineup to embrace and perform upon. Anyone who sees this should be aware of exactly what they are in for: a silly good time, less concerned with staging, special effects, and choreography. This is just a group of people having a gay old time, hoping you will too. The impersonations are often memorable and laugh-out-loud funny. My favorite was definitely Rita Wilson’s take on Céline Dion, with Ralph Macchio’s Justin Bieber another great highlight.
However, Mario Cantone makes the boldest mark with his hilarious overacting, with parts that include Carol Channing, Liza Minnelli, and many more. Mario truly understands the assignment and never faults in his overly silly impersonations. As Matthew Broderick’s debut night in the show, he seemed unaware of the silly antics that could occur during his segments, resulting in even more uproarious laughter. You can really feel the energy in the room, as the whole cast is having an absolute blast laughing at one another. Another great highlight of my show was the combustible combination of husband and wife duo, Alison Williams and Alexander Dreymon. The two read from the Mötley Crüe autobiography The Dirt, playing both Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson. Their chemistry with one another really shines here, as only a married couple could manage.
Despite seeming a bit scatterbrained at times, Celebrity Autobiography is a very unique show that gave me exactly what I wanted. Every single person cast gets their time in the limelight, often sharing, remixing, and riffing off another person or multiple people. The show has a nice flow to it that awards paying attention to specific wording and phrases. The line deliveries in particular make this much funnier than it would be on the page. Who would have thought it would be so amusing listening to Tiger Woods wax poetic about stroking his club? How about hearing Dolly Parton manage her diet, or Ryan Seacrest’s view of vegetables? There are so many silly things that made their way somehow into these autobiographies, and they have been compiled for our personal entertainment.
Collecting such an ensemble together, even if pulled off at the last minute, Celebrity Autobiography manages an impressive feat. I was never not entertained during the breezy one hour and 30 minute runtime without intermission. There is never a dull moment, and we are almost left wanting more. Come hear about Celine Dion swimming with the manatees, and tell all your friends!
Peruse the pages of a Celebrity Autobiography in this side-splitting comedy extravaganza, now playing performances at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre. For ticketing information, head over to the official website.
