John Larroquette Signs On for New Off-Broadway Comedy Oliver!

Five-time Emmy Award winner John Larroquette is headed off-Broadway in stageFARM’s world premiere of Elizabeth Meriwether’s play Oliver! The black comedy (not to be confused with the classic musical of the same name) will begin previews on May 9 at the Cherry Lane Theatre and open on May 17, directed by Evan Cabnet.

Joining Larroquette in Oliver! will be Tony nominee Johanna Day (Proof, August: Osage County, Peter and Jerry), Monica Raymund (TV’s Lie to Me), and Michael Zegen (TV’s Rescue Me).

The title character in Oliver! (Zegen) is 17, and his best friend, Jasper (Larroquette), is 60. Oliver wants to get laid, and Jasper wants to help. Jasper wants to drink himself to death, and Oliver wants to save him. And they share a secret that could ruin them both...if it hasn't already.

Larroquette won four Emmys as Assistant District Attorney Dan Fielding on NBC-TV's Night Court and a fifth Emmy for a guest-starring role on The Practice. He also starred in the NBC comedy series The John Larroquette Show and was a series regular on Boston Legal. Onstage, he has appeared in Neil Simon’s Oscar and Felix: A New Look at the Odd Couple in Los Angeles and Happy Jack.

Meriwether’s plays include The Mistakes Madeline Made (Naked Angels), Heddatron (Les Freres Corbusier) and 90 Days (stageFARM). Director Ivan Reitman is scheduled to begin shooting her screenplay F**kbuddies aka Friends with Benefits in May, starring Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman.

The creative team for Oliver! includes Lauren Helpern (sets), Ben Stanton (lighting), Jessica Shay (costumes) and Zane Birdwell (sound).