Bill Murray moved to tears by musical
Actor attends Broadway show based on his hit 1993 film, praises Groundhog Day cast
NEW YORK— Bill? Bill Murray? I thought that was you!
There he was in the audience at the August Wilson Theater in New York City on Tuesday night, taking in a performance of Groundhog Day, the Broadway musical based on the 1993 movie that he starred in.
It was Murray’s first time seeing the musical and he was accompanied by his brother, Brian Doyle-Murray, who played Buster in the film, as well as Danny Rubin, who co-wrote the screenplay for the movie and the book for the musical.
Groundhog Day — the critically acclaimed story about a self-absorbed weatherman who keeps repeating the same day over and over again in Punxsutawney, Pa. — is widely known as one of Murray’s best works.
Murray exhibited a range of emotions throughout the night. At first, it was quirky one-liners to gleeful fans who suddenly recognized him. There were gestures and guffaws during the first act. But by the end of the performance, Murray was sobbing.
When he arrived, he went to the bar to get a glass of water. The bartender, Janet Polanco, offered him a bottle, but Murray wanted a glass and gave a $50 tip. Then he whispered, “This is too much for a glass of water.” Murray walked to his seat mostly unnoticed. One audience member told him he looked “taller and thinner.” Murray responded, “Yeah, I’ve been working out.”
Minutes later, Murray got a brief round of applause from the crowd. Once the show started, he immediately started bobbing his head to the music.
During a scene in which Ned Ryerson, a pushy insurance salesman, meets Phil Connors, the lead of the show (played by Andy Karl in the musical), Murray pumped his fist.
At intermission, Murray headed back to the bar to get a beer. On his way, he decided to climb over a woman in a mostly empty row, rather than walk up the aisle.
“He said, ‘Excuse me, don’t move,’ ” said Toby Arbel, who came in from New Jersey to see the show. “‘I’ll walk over you,’ and then he did and got stuck because my bag was here. And he said, ‘You have a suitcase with you.’ ”
In the lobby, Murray took selfies with fans as they lined up to greet him. At one point, he reached into his pocket and gave two young boys pieces from a Junior Mints box.
During the second act, he could be heard yelling, “Wow!” after a performance of “Playing Nancy,” sung by Rebecca Faulkenberry.
By the time the cast was bowing onstage, Murray was in tears. He waited a minute to compose himself before joining the rest of the audience to cheer the cast.
Afterward, Murray took more pictures with fans. When Zoey Jacobs, 11, approached him on crutches, Murray told her: “Don’t sell short on the rehab. Otherwise, you’ll limp and gimp for a long time.”
Then Murray, Doyle-Murray and Rubin went backstage to greet the cast and take pictures. Murray was clearly still moved by the show, telling the conductor, David Holcenberg, “It really killed me.”
To Sean Montgomery, who played the sheriff, he said: “It was really beautiful. You got me. You really got me.”
Eventually, he addressed the whole cast.
“As actors, I can’t respect enough how disciplined you are and how serving you are of the process,” Murray said. “There’s nothing worse than seeing someone that’s out for themselves. And you are all in it for each other.”
He did have some suggestions, though.
“When you ever feel you don’t know what to do, sing to the person next to you,” Murray said. “And that person will sing to the person next to that person and then you will have this force that’s even stronger.”
In an interview afterward, Murray said it was the message behind the story brought to life onstage that made him weep.
“The idea that . . . ” Murray trailed off as he paused to collect his thoughts. “The idea that we just have to try again. We just have to try again. It’s such a beautiful, powerful idea.”