The Lifespan of a Fact
Broadway Show Tickets: Show Closed No Longer Available
The Lifespan of a Fact on Broadway: Show Is Now Closed
Regular Price Tickets
ORCH $189
MEZZ $99
Secondary Market
$169
The Lifespan of a Fact Summary
- Show Status: Closed
- Genre: Play
- The Lifespan of a Fact is 1.5 Hours long, including an intermission of None
- 8 Shows per week
- Previews Began: September 20, 2018
- Show Opened : October 18, 2018
- Show Closed: January 13, 2019
The true of story of the seven year collaboration of non-fiction writer John D'Agata and fact checker Jim Fingal.
What's The Lifespan of a Fact Like?
D'Agata's essay "What Happens There" is commissioned by Harper's Magazine after the suicide of 16-year-old Levi Presley in Las Vegas. His piece focuses on the relationship between the city's unique culture and its attitude towards its suicide rate, one of the highest in the country. His piece is pulled when it is discovered that a significant portion of the article is factually inaccurate. As a result, The Believer picks up the story, but editor Emily wants to assign a fact checker to the project. Jim Fingal is assigned to the job and the two men spend the next seven years working on the essay. Although some of D'Agata's original inaccuracies were unintentional, many "facts" in the piece were simply made up by D'Agata. During the collaborative process Fingal brings up many profound questions including the responsibilities a nonfiction author has to its readers and the limits of creative license.
Is The Lifespan of a Fact Good for Kids?
The show is most appropriate for those aged 12 and above. Children under the age of 4 will not be permitted in the theatre.
The Lifespan of a Fact on Broadway Background
The play juxtaposes D'Agata's ambiguous view of fact with Fingal's firm black and white stance. Through much profanity they discover the limits of truth in literary non-fiction.
Based on the 2012 novel of the same name, penned by D'Agata and Fingal themselves, The Lifespan of a Fact makes its world premiere on the Great White Way. The book is unusual as it features D'Agata's essay "What Happens There" along with Fingal's hand-written comments and correspondence. The book was critically acclaimed and named a Top 10 Most Crucial Book by Slate. The renowned book was adapted for the stage by Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell and Gordon Farrell (Swim Visit) all in their Broadway debuts. Prior to this production neither Kareken nor Murrell had even had a play performed Off-Braodway.
The play stars Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) as Jim Fingal, Bobby Cannavale (Mauritius, "Third Watch") as John D'Agata and Cherry Jones (The Heiress, "24") as Emily. The original play is directed by Leigh Silverman (Violet, Chinglish) and is running for only 16 weeks.
Theatre Information
Studio 54 Theatre
254 West 54th Street
New York, NY 10019
New York, NY 10019
Seats:
922
Entrance:
54th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues
Theatre
Information
The Lifespan of a Fact Marquee
Gallery
Cast Members
- Fingal
- Daniel Radcliffe
- Emily Penrose
- Cherry Jones
- D'Agata
- Bobby Cannavale
Producers
Jeffrey Richards
Norman Twain
Deanna Twain
Will Trice
Barbara Freitag
Eric Falkenstein
Carl Moellenberg
Wendy Federman
Ken Greiner
Van Kaplan
Caiola Productions
Production Credits
- Production Stage Manager
- Martha Donaldson
- Author
- Jeremy Kareken + David Murrell + Gordon Farrell
- Director
- Leigh Silverman
- Lighting Designer
- Jen Schriever
- Costume Designer
- Linda Cho
- Set Designer
- Mimi Lien
- Sound Designer
- Palmer Hefferan
- Projection Designer
- Lucy Mackinnon
Creative Team
- General Manager
- Foresight Theatrical LLC
- Company Manager
- Jason Haft at Foresight Theatrical LLC
- Advertising Representative
- AKA NYC
- Press Agent
- Polk & Co
- Production Manager
- Hudson Theatrical Associates