Gwenn Friss
Cape Cod Times, September 12, 2025
“Joan,” executive produced by her daughter, Melissa Rivers, is an hour and 40 minutes, with no intermission, telling the story of Joan Rivers’ struggles and triumphs as a female standup comic in a time when the art form was mainly practiced by men.
Nicole Parker as Mrs. Molinsky, who is Joan Rivers’ mother, in a scene from “Joan,” the story of the comedian’s life on stage at The Cape Playhouse through Sept. 20. Parker also portrays Rivers herself during some parts of the play. Photo credit Nile Scott Studios.
“This is the story of a pioneer and the story of a mom — who were one and the same. Get up close and personal with the famously edgy, fearless and loving legend in this hilarious and heartbreaking account of an American icon,” according to publicity for the show.
In two interesting dual roles, Nicole Parker (Elphaba on Broadway in “Wicked”) plays Joan Rivers and her mother, Mrs. Molinsky, while Alex Finke (on Broadway in “Come From Away”) plays a young Joan and her own daughter, Melissa.
Garrett Poladian plays Joan’s husband of six months, Jimmy Sanger, in 1956 before an annulment. Richard Topol, (Lemmi in Broadway’s “Indecent”) is Joan’s husband, Edgar Rosenberg, who died by suicide in 1987.
