Reality buoys 'Matt & Ben'
Prod'n extended for open-ended run
The notoriety of Ben Affleck, with a little help from Matt Damon, has turned "Matt & Ben" at P.S. 122 into a certified hit. The producers have extended the run beyond September for an open-ended run, with tickets on sale through Jan. 2.
Capitalized at under $100,000, the two-hander written by and co-starring Brenda Withers and Mindy Kaling opened Aug. 7 and should recoup in late September.
Caught in the same money crunch affecting so many nonprofit theaters, P.S. 122 rented its venue to "M&B," the first commercial venture to occupy that space, and found a winner.
As for the real Matt and Ben, "M&B" producer Victoria Lang had no complaints. "We couldn't be more pleased that they are in the news," she said.
The title duo, whose writing of the Oscar-winning screenplay "Good Will Hunting" is the basis of the legit comedy, have not seen the show. "They should come to see it when they're ready to see it," Lang said.
