Artie Shaughnessy, a zookeeper and wannabe songwriter, who is trying to cope with a schizophrenic wife, an impatient girlfriend and a visit from the Pope, all while sustaining his dream of hitting it big. “The House of Blue Leaves” is a satirical take on celebrity, religion, and the frequent merging of the two.

“The House of Blue Leaves” premiered Off-B’way at the Truck and Warehouse Theatre in 1971. A revival was presented by Lincoln Center at the Mitzi Newhouse in 1986. Jerry Zaks directed a cast which included Swoosie Kurtz, John Mahoney, Stockard Channing, Danny Aiello & Ben Stiller. That production transferred upstairs (and thus, to B’way) to the Vivian Beaumont, and then transferred again to the Plymouth.