Fish in the Dark: Larry David brings death to Broadway.

A scene from Larry David’s new play, A Fish in the Dark. Photo Source: Broadwaybox.com.

Fish in the Dark, a new play written and starring Larry David, officially opens at New York’s Cort Theater on Tuesday, March 3rd. The story is a dark comedy about how a family deals with a death and a funeral. Inspired by the death of a friend’s father, early buzz indicates that the topic is covered as only the ever-neurotic and hopelessly inappropriate writer/actor can. The show is directed by award winner Anna D. Shapiro and, along with David, stars Rosie Perez, Jerry Adler, and Rita Wilson.

Fish in the Dark Official Site

David recently sat down with New York Times theater reporter Jason Zinoman to talk about the play, life, and death.

This play is about a man dying. What’s funny about that?

It’s so serious. Solemnity is funny. It changes people’s behavior. You’re forced to talk a certain way, act a certain way. You’re not yourself. You can’t walk into a room where’s someone’s relative died and go [loud, gregarious voice] “Hey, how’s it going?” You have to go [serious, low voice], “How’s it going?” You have to act.

There’s etiquette.

That’s exactly it. There is etiquette, the death etiquette.

There’s dispute in the play over the quality of eulogies. What makes a bad eulogy?

A bad eulogy is one that doesn’t move you at all, that’s not funny or touching. You have to be touched by a good eulogy.

Do you ever think how you want your own funeral?

I don’t want it to be touching. Let them tell funny stories, if there are any.

Read the full story: Larry David on Broadway Theater, ‘Seinfeld’ and Death Etiquette

If you aren’t familiar with Larry David, he’s the man who, with Jerry Seinfeld, created the iconic TV series, Seinfeld. His humor can be described as awkward, neurotic, cringe worthy, and extremely funny. He explores everyday situations with a dry wit, often at his own expense.

David followed Seinfeld up with the hit HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm. He wrote for Saturday Night Live in 1984 and 1985. He has been nominated for multiple Emmy Awards and Golden Globes. Fish in the Dark is his first stint as a playwright.

Fish in the Dark is already being hailed as a hit even though it hasn’t opened yet. Advance tickets sales have broken records at $13.5 million seats on the secondary market are going for as high as $1300 for the first Saturday show.