The play focuses on the relationship between despondent Arthur Przybyszewski, a former 1960s radical who owns a rundown donut shop in Uptown, Chicago, and Franco, his energetic but troubled young African American assistant who wants to update the establishment with lively music and healthy menu options. Dialogue scenes are separated by soliloquies in which Arthur discusses his past and reminisces about the city as it was in his younger years.
Production history
The play, directed by Tina Landau, was performed at the Downstairs Theatre in Chicago by the Steppenwolf Theatre Company between June 19 and August 24, 2008. Again directed by Landau and with the Steppenwolf cast intact, the Broadway production began previews at the Music Box Theatre on September 16, 2009 and officially opened on October 1, with Michael McKean as Arthur Przybyszewski and Jon Michael Hill as Franco. Also in the cast were Yasen Peyankov as Russian appliance dealer Max Tarasov, James Vincent Meredith as local beat cop James Hailey, Jane Alderman as wise-crazy alcoholic Lady Boyle, Kate Buddeke as Randy Osteen, Cliff Chamberlain as thug Kevin MaGee, Michael Garvey as surprise visitor Kiril Ivakina, and Robert Maffia as loan shark Luther Flynn. The show closed on January 3, 2010. Despite its limited run on Broadway, Superior Donuts was slated to be produced by many regional theatres in the 2010-2011 season. Pittsburgh Public Theater, Arden Theatre Company, Denver Center Theatre Company, The Studio Theatre, San Diego Repertory Theatre, TheatreWorks and Mad Cow Theatre, Artists Repertory Theatre all planned to produce Superior Donuts in 2010-2011. , Sacramento's Capital Stage, and Chicago's Mary-Arrchie Theatre planned to produce Superior Donuts in their 2011-2012 season. The Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea, Michigan, led off its 2012-2013 season with Superior Donuts. In May 2011, Superior Donuts was directed by Kate Powers and performed for an audience of prisoners and community guests by a cast of prisoners who participate in Rehabilitation Through the Arts at Sing Sing Correctional Facility. The Sing Sing cast was visited in rehearsal by Michael McKean, who shared his insight as Arthur Przybyszewski.
Critical reception
In his review of the original Chicago production, Charles Isherwood of the New York Times said the play "has a lot in common with the deep-fried breakfast food of the title. It’s insubstantial and sweet, with virtually no nutritional value. Still, minor though this comedy is, it is also hard to dislike. Who doesn’t hanker for a doughnut now and then?" In reviewing the Broadway production, Isherwood called Superior Donuts "a gentle comedy that unfolds like an extended episode of a 1970s sitcom" and "a warm bath of a play that will leave Broadway audiences with satisfied smiles rather than rattled nerves." He felt if the play "possesses the nostalgic appeal of a classic sitcom, it is also hampered by some of the genre’s standard flaws. A subplot about Franco’s gambling debts feels contrived, like one of those dubious byways cooked up by writers in the later seasons of a series, when inspiration flags and the characters’ interactions have begun to go stale. The ancillary characters... might have come straight from the Sidekicks, Neighbors and Friends rack, although the excellent actors imbue them all with a sharp specificity. The relationship at the heart of the play, between Arthur and Franco, is also not without its formulaic aspects. Mr. Letts’s depiction of this budding cross-racial, cross-generational friendship feels a little retrograde, as both Arthur and Franco reveal dimensions that confound each other but help ease the awkwardness between them... But Mr. Letts treads gently, underplaying the surrogate-son aspect of their dynamic." Jon Michael Hill was nominated for the 2010 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play for his work in this play.
TV series
In January 2016, CBS ordered a pilot of a TV show based on the play with Bob Daily as the showrunner. On February 9, 2016, it was reported that Jermaine Fowler will play Franco. On March 1, 2016, Brian d'Arcy James was cast as Arthur. On May 26, 2016, CBS ordered the series to be re-piloted for a mid-season premiere. In September 2016, CBS ordered the TV series, which debuted on February 2, 2017. Judd Hirsch now plays the role of the shop owner. Other cast members include Jermaine Fowler, Katey Sagal, David Koechner, Maz Jobrani, Anna Baryshnikov, Darien Sills-Evans, and Rell Battle. On May 12, 2018, the series was cancelled after 2 seasons.
