With ‘Goodbye,’ Simon, Saks End Lengthy Relationship

The longtime relationship between playwright Neil Simon and director Gene Saks, severed last week when Michael Kidd was brought in to take over staging of the Broadway musical version of Simon’s “The Goodbye Girl,” had been strained for some time, theater sources say.

Even before the developments in Chicago, where “The Goodbye Girl” is having its pre-Broadway run, it was common knowledge in the theater world that Saks would not be directing Simon’s next play, “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” due on Broadway in the 1993-94 season. Although it hasn’t been announced yet, Jerry Zaks, who staged the hit revival of “Guys and Dolls,” is expected to be tapped to direct.

Having directed eight Simon plays, and winning Tonys for two, perhaps Saks’ “nose was out of joint” because he knew he wasn’t going to be involved in “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” a source close to both men said Monday. Saks, who had also directed four Simon plays for the screen, was not picked for the film version of “Lost in Yonkers,” a fact that was cited by others as a possible point of friction between the two men (Martha Coolidge got that assignment).

“There was a big blow-up (between Simon and Saks) in Chicago in front of the company,” one observer said, “and that’s a no-no.” Variety, in this week’s edition, reported that a public spat occurred Jan. 5.

Variety and the Chicago Sun-Times gave “The Goodbye Girl” generally positive reviews on its Dec. 29 opening and, although Saks was mentioned only briefly, it was not unfavorably. The Chicago Tribune was more critical of the show, though not specifically critical of Saks’ direction. Its review did note, however, that “major changes already are scheduled for the musical’s remaining five weeks in Chicago.”

‘The Goodbye Girl,” which stars Bernadette Peters and Martin Short, is due to begin previews at the Marquis Theater on Broadway Feb. 13. Marvin Hamlisch wrote the music and David Zippel supplied lyrics for the show’s book by Simon, based on the 1977 movie.

Saks said last week that he was notified of the dismissal by a telephone call from the general manager. “The show was not fraught with problems,” he told Newsday. “I am at a loss for a logical explanation.”

Although he is best known as a director of straight plays, as opposed to musicals, Saks won his first Tony for staging “I Love My Wife,” the 1977 Cy Coleman-Michael Stewart musical. He also directed the recent national tour of “Bye Bye Birdie” starring Tommy Tune.