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Jeff Ross Makes Broadway Debut With 'Take a Banana for the Ride' as Reviews Roll In

The one-man show reframes his roast persona through family reckoning during a late‑September Nederlander run.

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Jeff Ross in "Take a Banana for the Ride" at the Nederlander Theatre in New York. (Emilio Madrid)

Overview

  • The comedian opened his solo show August 18 at the Nederlander Theatre, marking his first Broadway outing with performances scheduled through late September.
  • Directed by Stephen Kessler, the production features creative input from Jeff Calhoun and dramaturgy by Seth Barrish, with producers Eric Nederlander, Robert Nederlander Jr., Marc Cornstein and Tony Eisenberg.
  • Ross trades pure insult comedy for an autobiographical narrative touching on family loss, alopecia and a recent colon‑cancer treatment.
  • The roughly 90‑minute, no‑intermission staging uses onstage musicians, projections and framed photos, with a recurring banana motif and a late‑show walk through the audience for improvised roasts.
  • Critics note a sentimental, memoir‑driven turn that draws praise for candor and improv while drawing critiques for unevenness and limited roasting.