It’s been more than a few weeks since I saw Gideon Glick in playwright Joshua Harmon’s funny, poignant, strikingly human Significant Other which—as it spiraled beyond its heartfelt conclusion into curtain call—left a young woman sitting behind me in tears. The kind of heavy-duty tears that speak to an emotional connection with the characters that inhabited our hearts for the previous two hours and fifteen minutes.

It was a telling moment and one I suspect that might have been simultaneously playing out in a couple other parts of Broadway’s Booth Theatre that night as well as pretty much every other performance. The reason rests in the play’s cast of 20-somethings, elegantly directed by Trip Cullman, who are sometimes exaggerated versions of people we know—and are (or were).

Gideon Glick stars in Significant Other. Photo: Joan Marcus

The play pivots around Jordan Berman (Gideon Glick), a single gay guy who desires intimacy but finds himself slaloming down a complex and slippery relationship slope while his three long-time girl besties—Kiki (Sas Goldberg), Vanessa (Rebecca Naomi Jones), and Laura (Lindsay Mendez)—fall in love and get married. (The show’s myriad love interests, incidentally, are brought to life by two versatile actors: John Behlmann and Luke Smith.)

But clearly, the show’s lynchpin is Gideon Glick, an irresistibly likeable actor, who has been embodying Jordan (alongside the entire cast with the exception of Ms. Jones) since the play had its initial sell-out run Off-Broadway in 2016.

Lindsay Mendez and Gideon Glick in Significant Other. Photo: Joan Marcus 

Glick’s take on his character and the show has evolved over time. Here is where he stands at Significant Other’s current juncture.

CG: You’ve said that when you first read the play, your reaction was “This is me!” Having played Jordan for some time both on and off Broadway, is this still true, or have you morphed a bit both as a character or a person—or in the way you view relationships?

GG: When I first read the play I was very single so it struck me in a deeply personal way. It still feels absolutely real and honest, but I am not in the same mindset that Jordan is in anymore. I also saw Jordan’s relationships with his girlfriends to be reminiscent of my relationships. That hasn’t changed, but I think what we need from each other has morphed a bit, especially as we’ve all coupled off.

CG: Everyone but Rebecca is from the original Off-Broadway cast and when I met her during rehearsals she told me how included she felt by everyone right off the bat. This closeness...family, if you will, seems so natural...it magnetically draws the audience. Can you comment on this and how important it is to you as an actor in such a pivotal role?

GG: The theater community is a small one and a lot of us had worked with Rebecca in some capacity before. She fit like a glove. She felt like family. We all spoke the same language. The camaraderie we feel as a cast buoys the entire production. The show is a celebration of friendship. The trust and admiration we have for each other helps the show succeed in a profound way. You are seeing real love and real trust on that stage for each and every person.

CG: Do you have a favorite moment in the show?

GG: I enjoy the scenes Jordan has with his grandmother [played by Tony nominee/Emmy winner Barbara Barrie] immensely. They are a chance for my character to breathe a little. He is more other-focused in those scenes too. The energy and drive of the scenes are markedly different than the rest of the play so they feel a bit like a respite for me.

CG: Why do you think this show attracts so many 20- and 30-somethings, yet appeals to pretty much everyone?

GG: I hear from fans at the stage door all the time that this is the first time they see themselves on stage. The play’s subject matter is about friendship and growing up within the confines of your relationships. It’s a not-oft-touched-upon subject matter, especially of a certain age group, and I think people are very excited that they are seeing that portrayed so acutely. 

New performance schedule: Tues., Thurs., and Sun., 7pm; Wed.-Sat., 8pm; Sat., 2:30pm; Sun., 2pm. Call or visit website for variations in playing schedule. For reviews, bios, audience feedback and tickets (especially tickets!), visit significantotherbroadway.com.