Tony-Nominated Scribe Mart Crowley on The Boys in the Band's Newfound Acceptance & More

The Boys in the Band made its world premiere off-Broadway in 1968 at Theatre Four, and 50 years later playwright Mart Crowley got to see his story told on Broadway featuring nine out and proud gay actors. "It was all a blur, but a great blur," Crowley said to Ryan Lee Gilbert in a recent interview on Broadway.com's #LiveAtFive about the show's opening night. "I couldn't believe that, after all these years, it had finally been accepted and produced with all first-rate actors."

When Crowley first brought the groundbreaking story of gay men to New York City, it was difficult to find actors to bring the characters to life. "The first time, we would take anyone who would do it; we were beating the bushes. The actors who did do it were very brave," Crowley said. "It was very different back then. You could get arrested for doing the things they do in this play. It was quite awful and ridiculous and demeaning. Naturally, everybody's agent told them not to do this play. We offered the roles an many turned it down. Agents said it was a career killer. I have to acknowledge the bravery of the guys who did it anyway."

Before he saw stars like Tony nominee Robin De Jesús, Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer and Andrew Rannells bringing his story to life, Crowley worked as an assistant to three-time Oscar nominee Natalie Wood. "I was working for Natalie [Wood] when she was shooting West Side Story, and I got very friendly with all the dancers who were gay," he said. "We all got into comic drag one night—nothing serious. Suddenly, there were whistles and police invaded a private home in West Hollywood and they arrested us. That’s just the way it was. We spent the night in jail. We were offered one phone call, and I called Natalie. Her lawyer got us all out in time for the guys to show up at the studio to film a dance number. I don’t know how they had the stamina to do it. I stumbled home and slept through the day."

In 2002 Crowley wrote a sequel, The Men from the Boys, that premiered in San Francisco. Although The Boys in the Band has found subsequent lives, thanks to producers Ryan Murphy and David Stone making a film based on the play with the entire 2018 Broadway cast, Crowley isn't sure the sequel will have the same fortune. "No one has heard of it, so I think the chances of another production are slim," he said. "Maybe it will get more known with the film, and people will want to know what’s happened."

Be sure to watch the full #LiveAtFive interview below!