HALEY JOEL OSMENT - AMERICAN BUFFALO HEADING FOR EARLY CLOSURE

It has been my honor to work in the theater at which this play has been performed. It is both unfortunate and unfair that the play has had such a miserable run. The small ticket sales is deceptive. The house has actually been at least two/thirds full each night. However, the comps given by the idiot producers to their "friends" can not be reflected in the published box office. To borrow from the text of the script, the incompetent producers of this venture should be "horse-whipped with a horse whip." The publicity on the production has been inadequate and ineffective. The play went through three weeks of previews and a week of peformance and was NEVER listed in the advertising section of the Playbills that are distributed to every audience member of every Broadway show and many off-Broadway shows. The producers and their flunkies have been obnoxiously micro-managing the theater staff, intruding into realms not only beyond their domain and expertise, but into realms in which they are crossing lines of command in the contracts of the employees of the Belasco Theater, Shubert Organization, souvenir vendors and security staff. The NY Observer reported that a luncheon at the trendy "Un Deux Trois" to which the press had been invited was cancelled without notice, leaving the restaurant without a lunch crowd and a press corps forced to buy their own drinks. The press corps were further insulted when word circulated that they were to be excluded from the opening night social festivities after the show. Somebody shour get them a copy of Emily Post, and "How to Win Friends.." while they're at it. This is a powerful, disturbing play that has been given a fine revival that has been jinxed and sabotaged by the very people who should have made it a success. As for Haley Joel Osment, that young man was convincing and disarming in his role. I hope that he gets better management and producers in his future endeavors in NYC. He has shown himself to be a gracious and refined young man. New York should see to it that this experience does not sour him to the Great White Way. His is a wonderful talent that is just beginning to open a new chapter.