There is a new solo show playing on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre, but when you finally take your seat as the show begins you are immediately transferred to 860 Chautauqua Boulevard in the Pacific Palisades. That happens to be the address of a house that burned to the ground during that horrific fire in 2025. It was also the home that Billy Crystal and his wife lived in for forty-six years, raising two children, and collecting a lifetime of memories. The room where Mr. Crystal has decided to entertain you is his office, where walls are covered with awards and photos, and priceless memorabilia is scattered about the room. What begins to unfold is not the pretentious jargon one might expect to attach to this impressive collection, but the stories and events that connect Mr. Crystal to each of these objects. So, although everything was destroyed in that tragic event, what lives on are the stories and memories, and that is the heart and soul of “Billy Crystal 860.”

The show begins with Mr. Crystal and his wife Janice frantically trying to decide what they could gather and take with them as they evacuate their home, which is on the brink of destruction from the wildfire. Each in separate vehicles, Billy keeps a close watch out for Janice in his rearview mirror as they both gaze into the distance and see their home up in flames. This scene quickly transitions to the first time they set eyes on the house and quickly decided to purchase the home. Of course there is a story behind that venture. Thus begins one of the many stories about a beloved home, a loving family and many dear friends that had become a part of Billy Crystal’s life. The audience hears about Robin Williams, Muhammed Ali, and Rob Reiner, who have all passed away, but that does not mean they are gone. Their stories and connection to Mr. Crystal remain and the sharing of those stories is part of a grieving process. Just like returning to the site of their home after the fire and seeing that nothing was left, the healing began when they realized the memories had survived, and Crystal shares them with the audience from the stage of the Imperial Theatre.

Scenic design by Scott Pask replicates every detail of Billy Crystal’s office at “860”. All of his personal photographs, awards and gifts are present, including the bedroom door from his childhood home in Long Beach, New York, given to him as a gift. Jen Schriever’s lighting design captures the mood and cadence of each scene, adjusting the disposition accordingly in seamless transition. The remarkable video design by Hana S. Kim and Kylee Loera brings memories to life, like looking through a family photo album, or at times like becoming interactive. It serves the storytelling extremely well. Director Scott Ellis moves the evening along at a quick pace, keeping Mr. Crystal on point.

This is good theater. It is great storytelling. It is not stand-up comedy. Billy Crystal is a fine actor and a remarkable comedian talking about his life, his friends and his family, which all happen to be quite interesting and very funny. Mr. Crystal admits that 2025 was a very challenging and devastating year in which bad things happened. Now, he is focused on all the good things that have touched his life, sharing those memories and doing what he does best, making people laugh!