Inside the Opening Night of David Hare’s Straight Line Crazy

The legacy of Robert Moses, the 20th-century urban planner, teeters on architectural acclaim and social infamy. Was he truly a man for the people in the way that he thought he was? Or was he marred with pride, power, and greed? This past Wednesday night, entertainers from all corners of New York City gathered within the 6th-floor theatre of The Shed to unpack his legacy through David Hare’s new play, Straight Line Crazy, and decide for themselves. 

It was ironic, really, to see many of the industry’s finest—such as Chris Meloni, Brooke Shields, and Sienna Miller—pour into the stark modern architecture of The Shed, which is encased by towering skyscrapers. It was an apt setting for a story dedicated to urban development. 

Starring Ralph Fiennes as Moses, Straight Line Crazy splits the urban planner’s life into two separate parts. The first takes place in 1926 when Moses rose to power.  Jones Beach, at the time was an elusive spot for social elites like the Vanderbilts and Whitneys. Moses then took the responsibility of democratizing the beach by changing the coastline in a way that would turn the private beach into a public amenity. 

But the audience’s liking of Moses turned to disappointment by act two. The setting is 1955, and the sentiments which drove Moses to democratize Jones Beach turned into a lust for power, when his plans to create a highway through Washington Square Park is met with mass protests from the locals. The audience (and thankfully, the public at the time) rallied behind Alisha Bailey’s character, an aspiring architect who works with Moses. She is torn between ambition, but cannot help but vocalize her concern to Moses as one of his developing plans displaced members of her own in the family in the Bronx. All the while, Judith Roddy’s character, a longtime assistant to Moses, realizes that her lifelong devotion to Moses was futile. 

When the curtain closed and the cast took their bows, guests took the top floor of The Shed to celebrate the opening night over champagne and popcorn. “I’m a fourth-generation New Yorker and I had family who lived here when this was all happening,” one attendee told Vogue. “You know, the writing of the play was so good. ‘SoHo is a fire hazard!’ It was hilarious.” 

Nearby, Chris McDonald was spotted chatting with other partygoers, while Michael Imperioli and Samantha Mathis mingled nearby. People spoke of the play itself, their memories of growing up downtown, uptown, or elsewhere, and more. As the night began to fade, the consensus became clearer and clearer: the play accurately embodies both the tragedy and triumph which continue to make New York City a city that remains unmatched.