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The 1960s
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“It is to de-ball the plays; to castrate them; to smooth down all the rough edges so they can’t cut, can’t hurt. It’s to make them commercially tolerable to a smug audience. It’s not to make the plays any better.”
1969
To Be Young, Gifted and Black
by Lorraine Hansberry
directed by Gene Frankel
presented by Harry Belafonte
with Barbara Baxley, Rita Gardner, Janet League, Cicely Tyson, John Beal, Gertrude Jeanette, Micki Grant, Stephen Strimpell and Andre Womble
Merrill Sindler Set Designer
Barry Arnold Lighting Designer
Gigi Cascio Sound Designer
Stuart Bigger Visual Effects
Joseph Beruh General Manager
Cheryl Sue Dolby Press Representative
Max Eisen Press Representative
William Eaton Musical Supervision
Charlotte ZaltzbergConsultant
First presented on January 2, 1969
(L-R) Cicely Tyson, James Baldwin, Arthur Mitchell, and Harry Belafonte, photo by Ron Galella
Love Your Crooked Neighbor
by Harold J. Chapler
directed by Sidney Walters
music by John Brancati
with Dale Berg , Cara Duff-MacCormick, David Kerman, Donald Warfield, Robert Weil
Fred Sammut, Set Designer/ Robert Anderson, Costume Designer/ Chuck Vincent, Lighting Designer/ Max Eisen, Press Representative
Sarah Beldner & Lois Wahl, Producers
1968
Triple Play - Three One Acts
I SAW A MONKEY
by Randolph Carter
SAVE IT FOR YOUR DEATHBED
by Randolph Carter
THE LATE LATE SHOW
by Randolph Carter
Now
by George Hainsoh, John Aman and the cast
Saved
by Edward Bond
directed by Alan Schneider
1967
A Double Bill: Basement and Fragments
BASEMENT
by Murray Schisgal
directed by Larry Arrick
produced by Edgar Lansbury and Marc Merson
with Gene Hackman, Sylvia Gassell and James Coco
FRAGMENTS
by Murray Schisgal
directed by Larry Arick
produced by Edgar Lansbury and Marc Merson
with Gene Hackman, Tresa Hughes, Humbert Allen Astredo and James Coco
(Gene Hackman, Humbert Allen Astredo and James Coco pictured)
The Rimers of Eldritch
by Lanford Wilson
directed by Michael Kahn
with Don Scardino, Dena Dietrich, Ruth Manning and Susan Tyrrell
In Circles
by Gertrude Stein
music by Al Carmines
The Party on Greenwich Avenue
by Grandin Conover
directed by Richard Altman
with Clarence Williams III and Joyce Aaron
(photo of set design by designer Rouben Ter-Arutunian for the Broadway play The Party on Greenwich Avenue which appeared at the Cherry Lane Theater in 1967. Ter-Arutunian was born in Eastern Europe and studied in Berlin. He was a designer for the Dresden Opera and the Vienna State Opera before emigrating to the U.S. in 1951. In New York Ter-Arutunian became a prolific and influential designer for opera, ballet, and theater. He was the designer for the legendary Balanchine production of the New York City Ballet's Nutcracker, won a Tony award for Redhead in 1959, created numerous addtional designs for Balanchine, and designed for Martha Graham. More drawings are below.)
1966
Night of the Dunce
by Frank Gagliano
directed by Joseph Hardy
with James Noble, Elaine Hyman, Robert Salvio, Anne Revere, Tony Musante, Alfred Hinkley, Terry Kiser, Salem Ludwig
The Butter and Egg Man
by George S. Kaufman
directed by Burt Shevelove
with Tyne Daly
The Happy Journey to Trenton and Camden
by Thornton Wilder
directed by Michael Kahn
The Long Christmas Dinner
by Thornton Wilder
directed by Michael Kahn
Queen of France
by Thornton Wilder
directed by Michael Kahn
Life & Death
by Edward Albee
Postcards
by James Prideaux
directed by Richard Barr
Duet for Three
by Lawrence Weinberg
with Rue McClanahan
Big Man
by Lawrence Weinberg
with Rue McClanahan (pictured)
Rooms: A Double-bill
BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME
by Stanley Mann
A WALK IN DARK PLACES
by Stanley Mann
with James Broderick, Shirley Knight & Irene Dailey
1965
Second Evening
of New Playwrights
PIGEONS
by Lawrence Osgood
directed by Edward Parone
with Geraldine Fitzgerald
CONERICO WAS HERE TO STAY
by Frank Gagliano (pictured)
directed by Joseph Hardy
with James Noble, Elaine Hyman, Robert Salvio, Anne Revere, Tony Musante, Alfred Hinckley, Terry Kiser and Salem Ludwig
Third Evening of New Playwrights
HUNTING THE JINGO BIRD
by Kenneth Pressman
directed by Chuck Gnys
LOVEY
by Joseph Morgenstern
with James Coco
DO NOT PASS GO
by Charles Nolte
directed by Alan Schneider
THAT THING AT THE CHERRY LANE
by Jeff Steve Harris
with Jo Anne Worley
THE ZOO STORY
by Edward Albee
directed by Alan Schneider
George Bartenieff played the role of Jerry
KRAPP'S LAST TAPE
by Samuel Beckett
directed by Alan Schneider
George Bartenieff played the role of Krapp
HAPPY DAYS
by Samuel Beckett
THE DEATH OF BESSIE SMITH
by Edward Albee
A LESSON IN DEAD LANGUAGE
Adrienne Kennedy
GOOD DAY
by Emanuel Peluso
with Frank Langella & Nancy Marchand
THE EXHAUSTION OF OUR SON'S LOVE
by Jerome Max
Good Day and The Exhaustion of Our Son’s Love both received Obies.
The Rape of Bunny Stuntz
by A.R. Gurney
First Evening of New Playwrights
UP TO THURSDAY
by Sam Shepard
directed by Chuck Gnys
with Harvey Keitel and Joyce Aaron
BALLS
by Paul Foster
with Shirley Stoler
HOME FREE!
by Lanford Wilson
with Michael Warren Powell
UP TO THRUSDAY…The title comes from Sam's reaction to being drafted and feeling a deadline on freedom. He explains, "The play is a series of reactions that become combustible, but I really don't consider it a 'play' at all." He was also quoted as saying this play was "a bad exercise in absurdity".
1964
The Giants’ Dance
by Otis Bigelow
directed by Jack Sydow
produced by Richard Barr and Clinton Wilder
with Leonard Drum, Alice Drummond, Bill Fletcher, Kelly Jean Peters, Dillon Evans, Boris Tumarin, Wyman Pendleton, Terrence Scammell and Herbert Voland
Three at the Cherry Lane
PLAY
by Samuel Beckett
with Alice Drummond, Marian Reardon, and Ray Stewart
directed by Alan Schneider
THE TWO EXECTIONERS
by Fernando Arrabal
directed by Edward Parone
with Ron Mack, Peter Michaels, Marian Reardon, David Spielberg, George Anderson and Charles Kindl
DUTCHMAN
by LeRoi Jones
directed by Edward Parone
with Robert Hooks and Jennifer West
The Lover
by Harold Pinter
directed by Alan Schneider
with Hilda Brawner, Michael Lipton, and Charles Kindl
The Burial Committee
by Otoway Crockett
directed by Andre Gregory
1963
Performance by Moni Yakim And Company
The father of modern mime, Moni Yakim (Etienne Decroux) performs with his company. The filmed event includes:
Passage of Men through Earth (entire company)
Lance Thrusts (Sterling Jensen and Moni Yakim)
Duo of Love (Moni and Mina Yakim)
The Trees (Sterling Jensen, Jewel Walker, Moni Yakim)
The American Dream
by Edward Albee
Zoo Story
by Edward Albee
directed by Richard Barr
This Side of the Door
by Terrence McNally
directed by Martin Fried
With Estelle Parsons and William Traylor
(Terrence McNally and Edward Albee, pictured)
Ex-Miss Copper
Queen On A Set Of Pills
by Megan Terry
1962
The Pinter Plays
THE DUMBWAITER
& THE COLLECTION
by Harold Pinter
directed by Alan Schneider
Mrs Dally Has a Lover & Whisper Into My Good Ear
by William Hanley
directed by Richard Altman
with Roberts Blossom, Robert Drivas, Estelle Parsons, Boris Tumarin
William Ritman, Design/ Michael Kasdan, General Manager/ Howard Atlee, Judith S. Davidson, Michael Sean O'Shea, Press Representative/ John Actman and Tony Musante, Stage Manager
Theatre 1963, Richard Barr, Clinton Wilder: Producer
THE DEATH OF BESSIE SMITH
by Edward Albee
THE AMERICAN DREAM
by Edward Albee
Playwrights 1962, series 2
Chit Chat On A Rat
by C. Skirivanek Atherton
A Toy For The Clowns
by Gene Feist
Prometheus Bound
by Lawrence Wunderlich
Theatre of the Absurd
by Samuel Beckett, Kenneth Koch, Jack Richardson, Edward Albee, Jean Genet, Fernando Arrabal, and Eugene Ionesco
Produced by Theater 1962, Richard Barr and Clinton Wilder
All productions designed by William Ritman
General Manager: Michael Kasdan
Stage Manager: Joseph Kapfer
ENDGAME
by Samuel Beckett
directed by Alan Schneider
with Ben Piazza, Vincent Gardenia, John C. Becher, Sudie Bond
BERTHA
by Kenneth Koch
directed by Nicola Cernovich
music by Virgil Thompson
sets and costumes by Remy Charlip
with John C. Becher, Sudie Bond, Vincent Romeo, Mylo Quam, M.J. Grimaldi, Alice Drummond Tone Musante
GALLOWS HUMOR
by Jack Richardson
with Arthur Anderson, Alice Drummond
THE SANDBOX
by Edward Albee
with John C. Becher, Sudie Bond, Jane Hoffman, Vincent Romeo
DEATHWATCH
by Jean Genet
with Mylo Quam, Vincent Romeo
PICNIC ON THE BATTLEFIELD
by by Fernando Arrabal
THE AMERICAN DREAM & THE ZOO STORY
by Edward Albee
directed by Alan Schneider
with Jared Barclay, Sudie Bond, Alice Drummond, Jane Hoffman, David Hooks
THE KILLER
by Eugene Ionesco
directed by Richard Barr
Little Mary Sunshine
Book, music, lyrics, and directed by Rick Besoyan
with Margaret Hall, Richard Charles Hoh, Janice Mars, Leonard Frye, and Kenneth MacMillan
A Stage Affair
Written and directed by Paul Crabtree
with Carleton Carpenter Maryann Gudzin, Richard Higgs, Louise King, Tom Pedi
Barry C. Tuttle, Producer
1961
HAPPY DAYS
by Samuel Beckett
directed by Alan Schneider
World Premiere with Ruth White (pictured) and John C. Becher
production designed by William Ritman
Revived in 2002 by Cherry Lane Theatre as part of our Heritage Series. Directed by Joseph Chaikin.
SMILING THE BOY FELL DEAD
Ira Wallach, Book
Sheldon Harnick, Lyricist
David Baker, Composer
Theodore Mann, Director
Julian Stein, Musical Director
With Lucinda Abbey, Russell Bailey, Ted Beniades, Claiborne Cary, Gino Conforti, Dodo Denney, Charles Goff Dean, Justine Johnston, Louise Larabee, Phil Leeds, Joseph Macaulay, Danny Meehan, Heinz Neumann, Geraine Richards, Joseph Schaeffer, Irene Siegfried, Warren Wade
Helen Pond, Set Designer/ Herbert Senn, Set Designer/ Theoni V. Aldredge, Costume Designer/ David Hays, Lighting Designer/ Max Gendel, Press Representative/ Gerald Feil, Stage Manager/ Julian Stein, Vocal Arrangements
George Kogel, Theodore Mann Producers
The Tiger Rag, A Musical Chronicle
by Seyril Schcchen
music by Kenneth Gaburo
directed by Ella Gerber
choreography by Peter Conlow.
with Patricia Roe (pictured), Logan Ramsey, Carlton Colyer, Brennan Moore, Nancy Andrews, etc.
Produced by Lorin Ellington Price
1960
The Sudden End Of Anne Cinquefoil
by Richard Hepburn
staged by Jack Sydow
with Priscilla Morel
The Pretender
by Lionel Abel
directed by Herbert Machiz
with James Earl Jones and Roscoe Lee Browne
produced by Frank Perry
Gay Divorce
Book By Dwight Taylor
Music And Lyrics By Cole Porter
Frank Aletter, Judy Johnson, Beatrice Arthur, Mary Jane Doerr, Arny Freeman, Emory Bass And Skedge Miller And Featured Adele Aron, Gaylynn Baker, Jeanne Rogers, Kathi Dean, Kay Brower, Sigyn, Tony Aylward And Charles Davisson
Sets Designed By Helen Pond And Herbert Senn; Costumes Designed By Ann Roth; Choreographed By Joan Mann; Directed By Gus Schirmer, Jr.; Produced By Noel Behn And The New Princess Company
A closer look…
