| Magic/Bird | |
|---|---|
 2012 Playbill cover | |
| Written by | Eric Simonson |
| Directed by | Thomas Kail |
| Characters | |
| Place premiered | Longacre Theatre, NYC |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Drama |
Magic/Bird (stylized sometimes as Magic-Bird and Magic Bird) is a play by Eric Simonson about basketball stars Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers and Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics throughout their careers. The play premiered on Broadway in 2012, where it ran for 61 total performances.
Plot overview
Magic/Bird follows basketball stars Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers and Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics, their rise from college basketball to the NBA and super stardom, and eventually the Olympic Dream Team, their team and personal rivalries and ultimately their long-running friendship.1 According to the producers: "At the heart of one of the fiercest rivalries in sports, two of the greatest athletes of all-time battled for multiple championships and the future of their sport...Johnson and Bird, went head to head, electrified the nation, reinvigorated the NBA, and turned their rivalry into the greatest and most famous friendships in professional sports."2
Production history
Preview performances of Magic/Bird began on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre on March 21, 2012, with an official opening on April 11, 2012.34 Kevin Daniels starred as Magic Johnson and Tug Coker as Larry Bird. The cast featured, in multiple roles, Deirdre O'Connell (as Georgia Bird/Shelly/Patricia Moore), Peter Scolari (as Red Auerbach/Jerry Buss/Pat Riley), Rob Ray Manning Jr. (as Michael Cooper/Henry Alvarado/Frank) and Francois Battiste (as Jon Lennox/Ron Baxter/Willy).3
Magic/Bird was produced by Fran Kirmser and Tony Ponturo, who had also produced Eric Simonson's other sports play Lombardi on Broadway. It was directed by Thomas Kail. David Korins was the set designer, Howell Binkley was the lighting designer, Paul Tazwell was the costume designer, and Nevin Steinberg was the sound designer. Projections were designed by Wendall K. Harrington. The production had the support of the National Basketball Association and the participation of Bird and Johnson.3
The play closed on May 12, 2012, after 38 performances and 23 previews.
Critical reception
Reviews for Magic/Bird were "not enthusiastic," and the play did not do well at the box office. It did not receive any Tony Award nominations.5
References
References
- "Basketball Drama Magic/Bird to Fly onto Broadway in 2012". Broadway.com. February 17, 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
- "Magic Bird: About" Archived 2012-03-22 at the Wayback Machine magicbirdbroadway.com, accessed March 27, 2012
- Gans, Andrew (February 1, 2012). "Tix Now on Sale for Broadway's Magic/Bird; Previews Begin March 21". Playbill. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
- "NBA.com: Magic-Bird play opens in April in NYC; previews in March". NBA.com. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
- Jones, Kenneth (May 12, 2012). "Magic/Bird Shoots Its Final Hoop on Broadway May 12 - Playbill.com". Playbill. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2026.