Legendary comic Jeff Ross returns home for his long-awaited Broadway debut in TAKE A BANANA FOR THE RIDE — a hilarious, heartfelt one-man show about laughing through the pain, the importance of having thick skin, and the vengeful pleasures of a Jewish comic owning a German dog. This 90-minute performance is the result of a 30-year journey in comedy: a cathartic mix of dangerous jokes, touching family stories, songs that stay with you long after the curtain falls — plus live audience roasting from the Roastmaster General himself. No two shows are exactly alike, but each reveals the Roastmaster General at his most unguarded — raw, reflective, and ridiculously funny. It’ll be your most emotional night at the theater since Mufasa died in The Lion King! (Oh no, did we ruin it?)
“Take a Banana” is, however, a willfully upbeat show; whenever it gets too dark, Ross detonates another joke. In his banana-yellow suit (by Toni-Leslie James), he takes us on a tour of his family and childhood, with the help of old photos and home videos projected inside the many large, ornate frames on Beowulf Boritt’s handsome, curve-walled set. (Projection design is by Stefania Bulbarella.)
His show is hilarious and heartfelt, and perhaps that will be surprising to the fans who are expecting 90 minutes of pure laughs. The laughs are present and accounted for (and then some), but Ross smartly expands his repertoire to tell the story of his life and the loving family he had back home in Newark, New Jersey… Taken together, these laughs and more sullen moments make for a first-rate Broadway show that perfectly displays Ross’ many skills as a comedian and his powerful penchant for storytelling.
| 2025 | Broadway |
Broadway |
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