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The Real Thing

Closing: May 12, 1985

The Real Thing - 1984 Broadway History , Info & More

Plymouth Theatre
236 W. 45th St. New York, NY 10036


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Who Will Win at the 2026 Tony Awards?
by Sidney Paterra - Jun 3, 2026


The 79th Annual Tony Awards are this Sunday, June 7, 2026. It's the biggest awards show of the Broadway season and it closes out a long awards season for Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals and plays. Which Best Musical and Best Play nominees will take home the ultimate prize?

Michael Sheen and Callum Scott Howells Will Lead AMADEUS in the West End in 2027
by Stephi Wild - Apr 23, 2026


Michael Sheen and Callum Scott Howells will star as Salieri and Mozart in the first major West End revival of Peter Shaffer's AMADEUS in over a decade, directed by Jeremy Herrin at the Noël Coward Theatre.

Olly Alexander and Iz Hesketh Join Cast for UK Reading of RIGHT BEFORE I GO
by Stephi Wild - Feb 19, 2026


Olly Alexander and Iz Hesketh will join Vanessa Williams and Matt Henry in a UK reading of Stan Zimmerman's suicide awareness play, RIGHT BEFORE I GO, at London's Soho Theatre.

HAIRSPRAY Original Broadway Cast: Where Are They Now?
by Sidney Paterra - Feb 28, 2026


It’s… Hairspray! BroadwayWorld is taking a look back at what the cast of this beloved musical has been up to since the show first graced the Broadway stage!

Review: BJØRNOV TAR DET PIANO at Chat Noir
by Christian Ranke - Jan 29, 2026


Ingrid Bjørnov's 'Bjørnov Tar Det Piano' is that rare theatrical experience where simplicity becomes profundity, where childlike melodies carry the weight of a lifetime.

Glasgow Film Festival 2026 Announces Full Programme
by Natalie O'Donoghue - Jan 21, 2026


The festival runs from 25 February to 8 March in Glasgow.

Interview: Sharpe Dunaway & Daughter London On Bands, Broadcasting, and Building a Creative Life
by Theresa Bertram - Nov 13, 2025


Sharpe Dunaway is no stranger to being in the spotlight, whether it be behind a microphone, behind the drums, or behind the video camera. And though he’s enjoyed his success and attention, he beams with pride when he talks about his children, father to Quint, Grey, and London (the youngest one who is taking great strides in the same vein as her father). In a free-wheeling conversation with Broadway World, Sharpe and his daughter London—a budding music journalist, concert photographer, and frontwoman in the making—dig into craft, community, and the power of doing the work. 

Friends and Collaborators of Stephen Sondheim Who Appear in His Collection at The Library of Congress
by Jennifer Ashley Tepper - Nov 16, 2025


During his prolific and storied career, Sondheim collaborated with many other artists, from book writers to directors, from actors to musicians. Seeing Sondheim’s regular collaborators, close friends, one-time associates, mentors, and rare connections make appearances in his collection was both moving and illuminating.

JUNIPER BLOOD, THE MAIDS, and WHEN WE ARE MARRIED Set For Donmar Warehouse
by Stephi Wild - Jul 14, 2025


With the critically acclaimed revival of Lynn Nottage's Intimate Apparel currently playing, Artistic Director Tim Sheader and Executive Director Henny Finch has announced three new plays for Autumn 2025/26.

Interview: Kelvin Han Yee of YANKEE DAWG YOU DIE at East West Players
by Andrew Child - Jun 28, 2025


Decades before cementing himself in the pop culture consciousness as Ali Wong’s curmudgeonly father in Beef, Yee originated the role of Bradley Yamishita (played in this production by Daniel J. Kim).

Every Broadway Actor in Season 3 of THE GILDED AGE
by Josh Sharpe - Jun 30, 2025


The Gilded Age is back for Season 3, and with it, a new and returning crop of Broadway talent. The New York-based costume drama is known for its vast array of theater actors, utilizing a total of 163 across its three seasons. Take a look here to see which of your favorite stars appear in the new season!

24 Theater Books for Your Summer 2025 Reading List
by Nicole Rosky - Jul 6, 2025


Broadway's best have put pen to paper to turn out theatre page-turners of every kind. From theatre biographies to theatre fiction; theatre books for kids to theatre history; check out our collection of 24 new Broadway books for every theatre lover's Summer 2025 reading list.

A History of Off-Broadway Venues
by Jennifer Ashley Tepper - Jun 22, 2025


Second Stage Theatre’s 43rd Street off-Broadway house, right near 8th Avenue, recently changed hands and is now the home of Studio Seaview . Seaview’s first production in the space is Angry Alan, starring John Krasinski. They have renovated and updated the space since Second Stage switched off-Broadway locations to now present shows at the Signature.

Who Will Win at the 2025 Tony Awards?
by Sidney Paterra - Jun 2, 2025


Which Best Musical and Best Play nominees will take home the ultimate prize? BroadwayWorld has rounded up the winners of the Tony Awards, the Drama Desk Awards, the Drama League Awards and the Outer Critics Circle Awards for the last fifty years to compare winners year by year.

EGOT Explained: Who Has Joined the Elite Group and Who Is Close to Making History?
by Sidney Paterra - May 26, 2025


Few honors in entertainment are as coveted—or as rare—as achieving EGOT status. This elite distinction marks a career filled with versatility, longevity, and extraordinary talent across multiple mediums. What does it all mean? We're taking a closer look at the artists who have managed to join one of the industry’s most exclusive clubs.

Which Shows Have Been Revived the Most in the 21st Century?
by Jennifer Ashley Tepper - May 11, 2025


Three of this season’s plays and two of this season’s musicals are already getting revived for the second or third time this century! Twenty-five years into the 21st century and Broadway has already seen multiple revivals of Glengarry Glen Ross, Our Town, Romeo and Juliet, Gypsy, and Sunset Boulevard. 

LUNGS Comes to Tipping Point Theatre
by Stephi Wild - Apr 4, 2025


Tipping Point Theatre’s (TPT) 17th season will close with Duncan MacMillan’s Lungs, with performances beginning in May. Learn more about the show here!

LUNGS Opens In May At Tipping Point Theatre
by A.A. Cristi - Apr 2, 2025


Tipping Point Theatre 17th season closes with Duncan MacMillan's Lungs, with performances beginning R This play explores the lifecycle of a relationship with all the hope, betrayal, pain and humor that exemplifies our modern-day love. 

Broadway Stage and Screen- A Spring 2025 Watch Guide
by Sidney Paterra - Mar 2, 2025


hile many of them are original concepts or based on plays, 14 are already films or series that you can watch from home now. If you are seeing any of the below productions in 2025, check out how you can study up beforehand or unpack afterwards!

Broadway's OTHELLO: Meet the All-Star Cast as Previews Begin at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre
by Stephi Wild - Feb 24, 2025


Discover the star-studded cast of Broadway's OTHELLO as previews launch tonight, February 24, 2025, at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. Premiere set for March 23.

Exclusive: 19 Songs by Jonathan Larson That You Probably Don't Know Yet
by Jennifer Ashley Tepper - Feb 18, 2025


Previews are now underway for The Jonathan Larson Project and fans who have checked out the new musical already have intel on the more than 20 undiscovered songs, as audiences are treated to a brief breakdown as they leave the Orpheum Theatre. BroadwayWorld is excited to share an exclusive, in-depth version of the story behind each song, courtesy of the show's conceiver, Jennifer Ashley Tepper.

Updated FLOWER DRUM SONG and More Set For East West Players' 60th Anniversary Season
by Stephi Wild - Dec 10, 2024


East West Players has announced its 60th Anniversary Diamond Legacy Season, helmed by recently appointed Artistic Director Lily Tung Crystal. Learn more about the lineup here!

Review: IMMERSIVE 1984, Hackney Town Hall
by Franco Milazzo - Oct 18, 2024


Watching this reboot of Immersive 1984, a thought comes to mind: if, as we’re constantly being informed, we’re all living in the post-privacy, post-truth and post-politics world foretold in 1984, aren't we already inside an immersive version of George Orwell’s seminal book?

Video: First Look at LEOPOLDSTADT at The Huntington
by Joshua Wright - Sep 27, 2024


Get a first look at The Huntington's productio of Leopoldstadt, the poignant and highly acclaimed new play written by Tom Stoppard and directed by Carey Perloff.

Cast And Creatives Announced for LEOPOLDSTADT At The Huntington
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 14, 2024


The new production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is set to open on Broadway this fall, featuring a fresh cast and innovative stage design. Get a sneak peek of what to expect from this iconic show.

The Real Thing History

Other Productions of The Real Thing

1984   Broadway
Broadway
2000   Broadway Broadway Revival
Broadway
2010   West End Old Vic Production
West End
2014   Broadway Roundabout Theatre Production
Broadway
   West End
West End

The Real Thing - 1984 Broadway Awards and Nominations

Note: Award winners are highlighted with a background.
The Real Thing — awards and nominations
Year Ceremony Category Nominee
1984 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Actor in a Play Jeremy Irons
1984 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Director of a Play Mike Nichols
1984 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play Christine Baranski
1984 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Lighting Design Tharon Musser
1984 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Play Tom Stoppard
1984 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Set Design Tony Walton
1984 Drama League Awards Distinguished Performance Award Jeremy Irons
1984 New York Drama Critics Circle Awards Best Play Tom Stoppard
1984 Outer Critics Circle Awards Best Broadway Play 0
1984 Tony Awards Best Costume Design Anthea Sylbert
1984 Tony Awards Best Direction of a Play Mike Nichols
1984 Tony Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play Jeremy Irons
1984 Tony Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play Glenn Close
1984 Tony Awards Best Play Roger Berlind
1984 Tony Awards Best Play Michael Codron
1984 Tony Awards Best Play Ivan Bloch
1984 Tony Awards Best Play Byron Goldman
1984 Tony Awards Best Play Icarus Productions
1984 Tony Awards Best Play The Shubert Organization
1984 Tony Awards Best Play The Shubert Organization
1984 Tony Awards Best Play Tom Stoppard
1984 Tony Awards Best Play Emanuel Azenberg
1984 Tony Awards Best Scenic Design Tony Walton

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