NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME to Begin Performances at MCC Theater This October
Performances will begin on October 5.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Aug. 20, 2025
NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME, a bold, behind-the-scenes look at the launch of one of America’s most iconic shows, will have its New York premiere. Written by Erik J. Rodriguez & Charles A. Sothers and directed by Conor Bagley, performances begin October 5, 2025, with opening night set for October 20, 2025, and will initially run through November 30 at The Newman Mills Theater at The Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space.
Arriving during a milestone anniversary season for the legendary show that inspired it, NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME is set in 1975 and follows nine soon-to-be legends—Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Lorne Michaels, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Laraine Newman, and Gilda Radner—as they navigate the chaos, creativity, and comedy that changed television forever. This new play pulses with live music, quick wit, and backstage mayhem, capturing the electric atmosphere of a cultural revolution in the making.
From the writers’ room battles to the live-on-air adrenaline, this fast-paced and irreverent play dives into the personalities, clashes, and lightning-in-a-bottle moments that built an American institution.
“This is a story about the moment lightning struck,” says co-writer Erik J. Rodriguez. “These performers didn’t just make comedy—they changed it forever.”
NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME
Begins October 5, 2025
Opening night is October 20, 2025
Performance schedule is Monday at 7 PM, Wednesday at 7:30 PM, Thursday at 2:30 PM & 7:30 PM, Friday at 7:30 PM, Saturday at 2:30 PM & 7:30 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM.
The Newman Mills Theater at The Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space is located at 511 West 52nd Street.
NOT READY FOR PRIMETIME is not an MCC production.
