4 Reasons to See Billy Crystal Bring the Laughs and the Love in Broadway’s 860

Comedian and actor Billy Crystal is back on Broadway with his new one-man show, 860. Named for the street address of his home of 46 years that burned down in the Palisades fires, he uses humor to look back at his life and career as he processes the enormous loss. Here are four reasons to see it.

1. Crystal is a born storyteller.
Once the lights go down at the Imperial Theatre (and after the applause subsides), Crystal wastes no time in establishing where this story begins. Television news reports and the lights and sounds of sirens place the audience in Los Angeles on January 7, 2025, at the start of the fires that would ultimately devastate the Pacific Palisades and surrounding neighborhoods. While personal photos and the occasional video clip help illustrate points throughout the show, 860 boils down to one man on stage sharing his memories. And when that man is Billy Crystal, you'll want to hang on to every word.

2. It's not as sad as you might expect.
The show opens with the fires, and it ends with how Crystal is coping in the aftermath. There's some heavy subject matter, including addressing the deaths of his close friends and collaborators Rob Reiner, Robin Williams and Muhammad Ali. But Crystal doesn't dwell on the grief. Instead, he honors who these people were when they were alive—the impact they had on him and on the world. You'll certainly laugh and clap in agreement much more than you'll cry. As director Scott Ellis told Broadway.com, "There is the framework of something horrible that happened, but he goes back into memories of stuff that was lost and that triggers some incredibly funny stories."

3. Fans of pop culture (and sports) are in for a treat.
Crystal performs the show in a muted recreation of his home office, courtesy of set designer Scott Pask. Crystal's office at 860 held memorabilia from his films and favorite sports teams, autographed keepsakes and printed photos with legends and longtime friends. Each turn taken as he travels down memory lane begins with something from his office, proving that although the physical items were lost, the significance of these moments to Crystal can never be taken away. From behind-the-scenes secrets of filming When Harry Met Sally with Reiner and Meg Ryan to a touching anecdote about New York Yankees player Mickey Mantle, you don't need to know Crystal's entire body of work to appreciate the nostalgia.

4. You’ll want to hold your loved ones closer.
To be clear, it's not all name-dropping and the who's who of Hollywood. Crystal's first solo show, the Tony Award-winning 700 Sundays, centered on the days he shared with his father, Jack, before his death when Crystal was 15. In 860, Crystal introduces his wife, Janice, their daughters Jennifer and Lindsay, his brother Rip and their eccentric neighbors. They are woven throughout the narrative as Crystal's support systems (and the occasional punchline). By the end, his nearest and dearest will feel familiar to you. There are any number of lessons to take away from 860, but above all, Crystal reminds us that it's the people in our lives who make it worth living.

Get tickets to 860!