''Checking Out'' is a 1976

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

play written by

Allen Swift Ira Stadlen (January 16, 1924 – April 18, 2010), known professionally as Allen Swift, was an American voice actor, best known for voicing cartoon characters Simon Bar Sinister and Riff-Raff on the ''Underdog'' cartoon show. He took his pro ...

. It opened on September 14, 1976, at the

Longacre Theatre The Longacre Theatre is a Broadway theater at 220 West 48th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. Opened in 1913, it was designed by Henry B. Herts and was named for Longacre Square, now known a ...

and closed on September 25, 1976, after 16 performances.

Original production

The show was directed by

Jerry Adler Jerry Adler (born February 4, 1929) is an American theatre director, producer, and film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for his films ''Manhattan Murder Mystery'', '' The Public Eye'', '' In Her Shoes'', and ''Prime'', and for his ...

, scenery David Jenkins, lighting

Ken Billington Ken Billington (born October 29, 1946) is an American lighting designer. He began his career in New York City working as an assistant to Tharon Musser. He was born in White Plains, New York, the son of Kenneth Arthur (an automobile dealer) and ...

, costumes Carol Luiken, production stage manager Murray Gitlin, and press by

Susan Bloch Susan Bloch (1940 – 10 May 1982) was a theatrical press agent based in New York City. Biography Bloch was born in Canton, New York and attended Syracuse University. She was the director of public relations for the Repertory Theater of Lincol ...

. The opening night cast starred

Joan Copeland Joan Maxine Kupchik ( Miller; June 1, 1922 – January 4, 2022), known professionally as Joan Copeland, was an American actress. She was the younger sister of playwright Arthur Miller. She began her career during the mid-1940s, appearing in thea ...

(Florence Grayson),

Hy Anzell Hy Anzell (September 7, 1923 – August 23, 2003) was a Yiddish-speaking American actor. He originated the role of the flower shop owner, "Mr. Mushnik", in the original off-Broadway production of '' Little Shop of Horrors'' with Ellen Gre ...

(Bernard Applebaum),

(Morris Applebaum), Jonathan Moore (Mr. Johnson),

Mason Adams Mason Adams (February 26, 1919 – April 26, 2005) was an American character actor and voiceover artist. From the late 1940s until the early 1970s, he was heard in numerous radio programs and voiceovers for countless television commercials, t ...

(Dr. Theodore Applebaum),

Larry Bryggman Larry Bryggman (born December 21, 1938) is an American actor. He is known for ''Spy Game'' (2001), ''Die Hard: With a Vengeance'' (1995) and ''As the World Turns'' (1956). Early life Bryggman was born in Concord, California on December 21, 1938 ...

(Dr. Sheldon Henning),

Tazewell Thompson Tazewell Thompson (born May 27, 1948), is an African-American theatre director, the former artistic director of the Westport Country Playhouse (2006–07) in Westport, Connecticut and the Syracuse Stage (1992–95) in New York state. Prior to tha ...

(Gilbert), and Michael Gorrin (Schmuel Axelrod).

Setting

Morris Applebaum's apartment on West 57th Street. ;Act I *Scene 1 — An April morning *Scene 2 — 530 am the next day *Scene 3 — Four hours later ;Act II — A few days later, morning

Plot

An aging

Yiddish Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ve ...

stage actor decides to schedule and stage-manage his own death.

References

{{reflist 1976 plays Broadway plays Plays set in New York City