Born yesterday play characters description

Born Yesterday (play)

play by Garson Kanin

Born Yesterday
Written byGarson Kanin
Date premieredFebruary&#;4,&#;&#;()
Place premieredLyceum Theatre
New York City
Original languageEnglish
GenreComedy
SettingWashington, DC.

September

Born Yesterday is a play written by Garson Kanin which premiered on Broadway in , starring Judy Holliday as Billie Dawn.

Born yesterday play characters names Born Yesterday characters breakdowns including full descriptions with standard casting requirements and expert analysis. Join StageAgent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. Learn.

The play was adapted into a successful film of the same name.

Plot

An uncouth, corrupt rich junk dealer, Harry Brock, brings his showgirl mistress Billie Dawn with him to Washington, D.C. When Billie's ignorance becomes a liability to Brock's business dealings, he hires a journalist, Paul Verrall, to educate his girlfriend.

In the process of learning, Billie Dawn realizes how corrupt Harry is and begins interfering with his plans to bribe a Congressman into passing legislation that would allow Brock's business to make more money.

Productions

Original Broadway

Born Yesterday opened on February 4, on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre[1] and ran there until November 6, ; the play transferred to Henry Miller's Theatre on November 9, and closed on December 31, , after a total of 1, performances.[2] As of [update] it was the seventh longest-running non-musical play in Broadway history.[3] Judy Holliday starred as Billie, with Paul Douglas as Harry Brock and Gary Merrill as Paul Verrall.

Written and directed by Garson Kanin, the scenic design was by Donald Oenslager and costume design by Ruth Kanin.[4]Jean Arthur was originally cast in the role of Billie but quit during tryouts.[5]

For his performance as Harry Brock, Paul Douglas was awarded the Clarence Derwent Award for the most promising male performance.[6]

Original Broadway cast

Judy Holliday appeared as Billie Dawn in over 1, performances.[7] Her replacements in the role included Jean Hagen and Jan Sterling.

Revival by Princeton University's Summer Theater in

A production staged at Princeton University's McCarter Theatre, directed by Herbert Kenwith and starring Shelley Winters as Billie Dawn and Judson Pratt as Harry Brock, debuted June 19, and was enthusiastically received by Daily Home News critic Jack Lewis, who notes that "Kenwith's direction is in no small way responsible for the success of the show.

More notable, however, is his selection of Shelley Winters and Judson Pratt to play the key roles. And their handling of these assignments is what made 'Born Yesterday' a laugh-filled experience for last night's audience."[8] A brief tour of New England venues—necessarily limited by Winters' prior commitment[9]—ensued, to similarly glowing reviews.[10][11]

Revival by the Negro Drama Group in –54

A production mounted by the Negro Drama Group at Broadway's President Theatre, starring Edna Mae Robinson as Billie Dawn, Powell Lindsay as Harry Brock and Henry Scott as Paul Verrall, was given a full review in The New York Times on January 1, , with the theatre critic (signature L.

C.) mentioning that "Mrs. Robinson is in private life the wife of Sugar Ray Robinson, the former welterweight and middleweight champion of the world" and that she "is possessed of a natural flair for comedy. With some judicious direction she could go a long way toward achieving spectacular success in the theatre."[12] Although the production received positive reviews, it closed after five days.[13]

Watergate Era

According to theatre scholar Jordan Schildcrout, the Watergate scandal brought renewed interest in Born Yesterday, with a surge of productions in the early s starring Betty Grable, Sandy Dennis, Chita Rivera, and Karen Valentine at major regional theatres, as well as Lynn Redgrave in a London revival directed by Tom Stoppard.[14] The critic Michael Billington noted, "With the Watergate scandal coming to a head, the play suddenly seems as fresh and relevant as the day it was written."[15] Kanin himself later asserted, "When the play was written it was a fable, but after Watergate it became a documentary."[16]

Broadway revival

The play was revived on Broadway in It opened at the 46th Street Theatre in previews on January 18, , officially on January 29, ,[17] and closed on June 11, after performances.[18] It was directed by Josephine R.

Abady and starred Edward Asner and Madeline Kahn,[17] who received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play.[19]

revival cast

Source:New York Times[17]

Broadway revival

The second Broadway revival opened at the Cort Theatre for previews 31 March , performances began on April 24, The show closed on 26 June after 28 previews and 73 performances.

Born yesterday play characters list

Born Yesterday plot summary, character breakdowns, context and analysis, and performance video clips.

Produced by Frankie Grande and directed by Doug Hughes, the play starred Jim Belushi as Harry Brock, Nina Arianda as Billie Dawn and Robert Sean Leonard as Paul Verrall.[20]

The revival was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play and Best Costume Design of a Play (Catherine Zuber).[21]

revival cast
  • Jim Belushi as Harry Brock
  • Nina Arianda as Billie Dawn
  • Frank Wood as Ed Devery
  • Robert Sean Leonard as Paul Verrall
  • Michael McGrath as Eddie Brock
  • Liv Rooth as A Manicurist
  • Patricia Hodges as Mrs.

    Hedges

  • Jennifer Regan as Helen, a maid
  • Fred Arsenault as Bellhop #1
  • Danny Rutigliano as Bellhop #2/Bootblack
  • Bill Christ as A Bellhop #3/Barber
  • Andrew Weems as The Assistant Manager
  • Terry Beaver as Senator Norval Hedges

Film adaptations

The film adaptation, made by Columbia Pictures with direction by George Cukor starred Judy Holliday and William Holden.[22] A remake directed by Luis Mandoki and released through Buena Vista Pictures, starred Melanie Griffith as Billie Dawn and updated the plot.[23]

References

  1. ^Nichols, Lewis "The Play In Review; 'Born Yesterday,' Comedy at Lyceum, Shows Political Slant"New York Times (abstract), February 5, , p.

    30

  2. ^Calta, Louis."'Born Yesterday' To End Run Dec. 31; Kanin Comedy, on Boards Since 46, Will Leave Local Scene After 1, Performances"New York Times (abstract), December 24, , p. 10
  3. ^Schildcrout, Jordan (). In the Long Run: A Cultural History of Broadway's Hit Plays. New York and London: Routledge.

    p.&#; ISBN&#;.

  4. ^Born Yesterday, Internet Broadway Database, accessed June 16,
  5. ^Bordman, Gerald Martin and Hischak Thomas S. "Born Yesterday"The Oxford Companion to American Theatre, Oxford University Press US, , ISBN&#;, p. 86
  6. ^"The Clarence Derwent Award, "Archived at the Wayback Machine , accessed June 18,
  7. ^Schildcrout, p.

  8. ^Lewis, Jack (June 20, ). "Shelley Winters in Laugh Hit as Princeton Summer Show Opens". The Daily Home News.

    Born yesterday play script Born Yesterday opened on February 4, on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre [1] and ran there until November 6, ; the play transferred to Henry Miller's Theatre on November 9, and closed on December 31, , after a total of 1, performances. [2] As of it was the seventh longest-running non-musical play in Broadway history. [3].

    p.&#;6. ProQuest&#;

  9. ^"Legitimate: Atlantic City Gets Barn; Arena For Albany Area; Bucks, Circus Perk; Brattleboro Bows July 12". Variety. June 21, p.&#; ProQuest&#;
  10. ^T. D. S. (July 15, ). "Ivoryton Playhouse". The Hartford Courant. p.&#;4. ProQuest&#;
  11. ^P.

    Born yesterday play characters youtube: Born Yesterday characters breakdowns including full descriptions with standard casting requirements and expert analysis.

    W. C. (July 18, ). "Shelley Winters Has a Field Day at Beverly in 'Born Yesterday'". The Boston Daily Globe. p.&#;9. ProQuest&#;

  12. ^L. C. (January 1, ).

    Born yesterday play characters In Garson Kanin’s pointed and hilarious Born Yesterday, personal and political oppression is exposed and outwitted in the intellectual rebirth of the iconic “dumb blonde”, Billie Dawn, who ultimately stands up to Harry Brock’s violent intimidation and shuts down his shady bid for governmental cooperation.

    "AT THE THEATRE / Garson Kanin's 'Born Yesterday' Is Revived Here by Negro Troop Led by Edna Mae Robinson". The New York Times. Retrieved February 17,

  13. ^"'Born Yesterday' Folds". Jet: January 14,
  14. ^Schildcrout, Jordan ().

  15. Born yesterday play script pdf
  16. Born yesterday 1950 full movie
  17. Born yesterday meaning
  18. Born yesterday awards
  19. Born Yesterday (Play) Plot Summary - StageAgent

    20. In the Long Run: A Cultural History of Broadway's Hit Plays. New York and London: Routledge. p.&#; ISBN&#;.

  20. ^Billington, Michael (21 April ). "Review: Born Yesterday". The Guardian.
  21. ^Kennedy, Eugene (21 February ). "'Born Yesterday' Reborn in Chicago".

  22. Born yesterday play characters youtube
  23. Born yesterday play characters pictures
  24. Born yesterday play characters description

    25. The New York Times. p.&#;5 (Section 2). Retrieved

  25. ^ abcRich, Frank."Review/Theater; Right-Thinking Ingenuousness Cleans Up a Nation"New York Times, January 30,
  26. ^"'Born Yesterday' Closing"New York Times, June 10,
  27. ^Born Yesterday, Internet Broadway Database, accessed June 16,
  28. ^Jones, Kenneth."A New Dawn for Billie: 'Born Yesterday', With Nina Arianda, Robert Sean Leonard, Jim Belushi, Opens"Archived July 2, , at the Wayback Machine , April 24,
  29. ^Jones, Kenneth and Gans, Andrew." Tony Nominations Announced; Book of Mormon Earns 14 Nominations"Archived September 14, , at the Wayback Machine , May 3,
  30. ^"'Born Yesterday', " , accessed June 18,
  31. ^"'Born Yesterday', " Internet Movie Database, accessed June 18,

External links