Billy Crystal explains how losing his home shaped Broadway show ‘860’

Billy Crystal described how memories of his fire-destroyed Los Angeles home shaped his show ‘860’ in a CBS interview broadcast on October 11.

The title is the street number of the actor’s house in Pacific Palisades. Crystal and his wife, Janice, lost the property in the January 2025 fires. He said the stage set recreates his home office so that audiences can feel they are inside the family’s former home.

Crystal said working on the production had already helped him cope with the loss. He described returning to family stories and finding humour in painful memories. His earlier solo show, ‘700 Sundays’, about his relationship with his father, had also been a deeply personal experience.

Scott Ellis directs ‘860’, with music by Marc Shaiman. Previews are underway at New York’s Imperial Theatre, with the official opening scheduled for October 21. The limited engagement runs through January 3. Crystal said he hopes to take the show to Los Angeles afterwards.