The Whoopi Monologues
| The Whoopi Monologues | |
|---|---|
| File:The Whoopi Monologues 2026 OffBway poster LTC.jpg 2026 Off-Broadway revival poster | |
| Written by | Whoopi Goldberg |
| Genre | Comedy |
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The Whoopi Monologues (also known as Whoopi Goldberg) is a comedic one-woman play by American comedian Whoopi Goldberg which features comic monologues penned by Goldberg that tell the story of various characters.[1] The play premiered on Broadway in 1984 at the Lyceum Theatre starring Goldberg herself,[2] and is set to be revived in the fall of 2026 Off-Broadway at Lincoln Center Theatre.[3]
Plot
Featuring comic stories written by Goldberg, the play follows the course of various eccentric characters, from a young girl to an elderly man to a valley girl.[4][5][6]
Production history
1984 Broadway premiere
The play first premiered on Broadway in 1984 at the Lyceum Theatre, starring Whoopi Goldberg. The production opened on October 24, 1984, running through March 10, 1985 after 156 performances.[7][8] The production received mixed to positive reviews, with much to Goldberg for reinventing the idea of a solo performance. The New York Times praised Goldberg's "droll and most touching characters" and lauding her performance as the many characters as "quite simply, lovable."[9]
The production was nominated for two Drama Desk Awards, with Goldberg winning the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance,[10] and the Outer Critics Circle Award and Theatre World Award for Outstanding Debut.[11] Goldberg subsequently released a comedy album of the production which won the 1986 Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.[12]
2004 Broadway revival
The play was revived for its 20th anniversary in a production starring Goldberg at the Lyceum Theatre, where it ran from November 17, 2004 through January 30, 2005.[13][14] The show received mixed to positive reviews, with The New York Times admitting the "brilliance of (Goldberg's) gifts" but deriding the production as "in desperate need of a stringent theatrical intelligence."[15] Nonetheless, the production was nominated for the 2005 Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event.[16]
2026 Off-Broadway revival
The play is set to be revived Off-Broadway in 2026 at Lincoln Center Theatre's Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre, with previews beginning on July 7, 2026 and running through August 30 of the same year.[17][18] Directed by Whitney White, the production is set to star an ensemble cast of Kerry Washington, Kara Young, Danielle Pinnock, Dominique Fishback, and Kecia Lewis.[19][20] In July, it was announced that Jurnee Smollett was to join the production in August in Washington's role following the latter's departure.[21]
The production received mixed reviews, with New York Theatre Guide noted the production's promise, but called it "a hit-and-miss experiment for a number of reasons"[22] and The Wrap comparing it unfavorably to Goldberg's solo version, calling it "quite a show, but not quite as impressive."[23]
Cast and characters
| Character | Broadway 1984[24] | Broadway revival 2004[25] | Off-Broadway 2026[26] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performer | Whoopi Goldberg | Kerry Washington Kara Young Danielle Pinnock Dominique Fishback Kecia Lewis | |
Accolades
1984 Broadway production
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Solo Performance | Whoopi Goldberg | Won | [27] |
| Outstanding Lighting Design | Jennifer Tipton | Nominated | |||
| Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Debut Performance | Whoopi Goldberg | Won | [28] | |
| Theatre World Award | Outstanding Debut | Won | |||
| 1986 | Grammy Award | Best Comedy Album | Won | [29] |
2004 Broadway revival
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Tony Award | Best Special Theatrical Event | Nominated | [30] | |
References
- ↑ "Whoopi Goldberg Monologues Set For Lincoln Center Theater". Deadline. June 18, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Whoopi Goldberg (Lyceum Theatre)". Playbill. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Whoopi Goldberg Monologues Set For Lincoln Center Theater". Deadline. June 18, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Whoopi Goldberg (Lyceum Theatre)". Playbill. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "The Whoopi Monologues". Lincoln Center Theater. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Whoopi Goldberg Monologues Set For Lincoln Center Theater". Deadline. June 18, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Whoopi's Ready, But Is Broadway?". The New York Times. October 21, 1984. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Whoopi Goldberg (Lyceum Theatre)". Playbill. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Stage View; Whoopi as Actress, Clown and Social Critic". The New York Times. October 28, 1984. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "1984 Awards – Nominees and Recipients". Drama Desk. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
- ↑ "Whoopi Goldberg (Lyceum Theatre)". Playbill. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Whoopi Goldberg Best Comedy Recording Acceptance Speech - 1986 Grammys". Grammy.com. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Whoopi (Lyceum Theatre)". Playbill. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Re-Makin' Whoopi: Revising Characters and Scenes After 20 Years, Goldberg Opens on Bway Nov. 17". Playbill. November 17, 2004. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "One Woman, Uh-Huh, but So Many Guises". The New York Times. November 18, 2004. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "2005 Tony Award winners announced". New York Theatre Guide. June 5, 2005. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "The Whoopi Monologues". Lincoln Center Theater. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Whoopi Goldberg Monologues Set For Lincoln Center Theater". Deadline. June 18, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Full cast set for 'The Whoopi Monologues' starring Kerry Washington, Kara Young". New York Theatre Guide. June 16, 2026. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Meet the Full Cast of The Whoopi Monologues Off-Broadway". Playbill. June 16, 2026. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Jurnee Smollett Joins 'The Whoopi Monologues'". Deadline. July 2026. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
- ↑ "The Whoopi Monologues Off-Broadway Review". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
- ↑ "'The Whoopi Monologues' Off Broadway Review: Kerry Washington Brings Back the Valley Girl, and Other Dubious Acts". TheWrap. July 13, 2026. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
- ↑ "Whoopi Goldberg (Lyceum Theatre)". Playbill. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Re-Makin' Whoopi: Revising Characters and Scenes After 20 Years, Goldberg Opens on Bway Nov. 17". Playbill. November 17, 2004. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Meet the Full Cast of The Whoopi Monologues Off-Broadway". Playbill. June 16, 2026. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "1984 Awards – Nominees and Recipients". Drama Desk. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
- ↑ "Whoopi Goldberg". Playbill. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Whoopi Goldberg Best Comedy Recording Acceptance Speech - 1986 Grammys". Grammy.com. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "2005 Tony Award winners announced". New York Theatre Guide. June 5, 2005. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
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