An original musical comedy revue, THE TALK OF THE TOWN tells the story of the “ten year lunch” that was the Algonquin Roundtable, a gathering of the wittiest literary lights of the 1920’s, including Dorothy Parker, George S. Kaufman and Alexander Woollcott. Loaded with their unforgettable quips, critiques and put-downs, this delightful period musical traces the legendary skirmishes (both professional and romantic) across that famous round table. THE TALK OF THE TOWN premiered at Bank Street Theater on November 5, 2004, and moved to the Oak Room of The Algonquin Hotel in May 2005. Having played 4 previews and 28 performances Bank Street Theatre, it re-opened in the Oak Room on May 23, 2005 and played 116 performances at the time of its closing on August 7th, 2006.

Audiences and critics enthusiastically enjoyed Talk when it opened at Bank Street Theatre.  Brian Siebert of The New Yorker said, “Ginny Redington and Tom Dawes’ well-crafted period-style songs are genuinely clever, and the classic quips, briskly deployed throughout, still crackle.”  At the Algonquin reviews continued to be equally enthusiastic.  On July 18, 2005, David Kornhaber of the New York Sun wrote, “it celebrates that bygone era with sprightly, endearing, and unsentimental charm.”  On August 26, 2005, Howard Kissel of the New York Daily News wrote, “Everything about the show is remarkable, starting with the casting.” 

Ginny Redington and Tom Dawes come from successful careers in the music business as singers, songwriters, musicians, arrangers and producers.  Ms. Redington wrote songs for well-known artists such as Gladys Knight and Sarah Vaughan, as well as performing her own material.  Mr. Dawes was a member of the rock group The Cyrkle (best known for their hits “Red Rubber Ball” and “Turn Down Day. Together, Ginny and Tom wrote the music and lyrics for some of the most successful worldwide advertising campaigns of the last few decades, including “We’re American Airlines”, “Plop Plop, Fizz Fizz” for Alka Seltzer, “You, You’re the One” for McDonald’s, and “Coke is It”.

The Peccadillo Theater Company was founded in 1994 with the goal of producing forgotten American classics – “forgotten” in the sense that most of the work the company does is rarely revived, and “classic” in the sense of having enduring theatrical value.  Peccadillo has produced the work of such Algonquin Round Table authors as George S. Kaufman and Marc Connelly (Beggar on Horseback) and Dorothy Parker (The Ladies of the Corridor).  The company recently presented a highly acclaimed revival of John Colton’s The Shanghai Gesture and its widely praised production of Counsellor-At-Law, starring John Rubinstein, moved to the Theatre at St. Clement's and won two Lucille Lortel Awards (Outstanding Revival and Outstanding Lead Actor), an OBIE Award for director Dan Wackerman and nominations for three Outer Critics Circle Awards and a Drama League Award. Peccadillo’s critically acclaimed production of John Murray and Alan Boretz’s Room Service ran for over six months Off Broadway and prompted Hal Prince to call Peccadillo’s productions “a rare and vital treasure.” (New York Daily News)