"I have yet to see the Broadway production, but it warms my heart to know this brilliant documentary from Albert and David Maysles has inspired such a thing. An example of how a personal relationship between the filmmaker(s) and subject can in fact benefit the film itself. Fascinating, funny, and sad."

"I worked hard at German so that I could read Brecht, but was saved by watching his plays performed live at Mannheim by an excellent company. However, it was Marc Blitzstein’s 1954 translation of Threepenny Opera in a tiny theater off-Broadway that electrified me with “Mack the Knife” and “Pimp’s Ballad.”"

"Hart rose from grinding poverty in Brooklyn to the heights of Broadway success in writing and directing. Act One is easily the best show — business autobiography — a riveting story that risks promoting the foolish idea that if you chase your dream and never give in, you will succeed. Bull. A few will. Hart did."

"I'm a big fan of 'A Little Opera Goes a Long Way,' by Sky Sailing: [sings] Pretend you're not alone / Like you are center stage on Broadway / 'Cause when you are on your own / A little opera goes a long way. That was my theme song for the first few days of living solo."