Sally Field and Joe Mantello Will Lead THE GLASS MENAGERIE on Broadway Next Spring

[littlemouse921]

Didn't they just revive this?

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-News-Sally-Fieldand-Joe-MantelloWill-Lead-THE-GLASS-MENAGERIE-on-Broadway-Next-Spring-Sam-Gold-Will-Direct-20160606

[JBroadway]

Thread discussing this revival here: https://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.php?thread=1090517#4767744

 

Though it's interesting to know that it's now official. 

[littlemouse921]

It would have been nice to have something in the Golden before next spring

[Mr Roxy]

The question to this is simple: Why?

[Jay Lerner-Z]

^ Not everybody has seen the previous productions. Six billion plus on the planet, we couldn't all squeeze into the Booth during the last run.

[BakerWilliams]

And some people weren't very impressed by the 2013 revival, which was overacted and overcooked.

 

 

Also interesting to note, this must be why he is not directing Annie Baker's new play at the Signature next year.

[AC126748]

Mr Roxy said: "The question to this is simple: Why?

 

"

Because someone with money and/or influence decided to produce it. That is how literally everything ends up onstage. It's not some great mystery.

[E. riley]

I loved the Zack Quinto and Cherry Jones revival and that was just two minutes ago!

Also Montello (great talent) but isn't he a bit long in the tooth for Tom ???   

[JBroadway]

E. riley said: "Also Montello (great talent) but isn't he a bit long in the tooth for Tom ???  "

 

As someone in the other thread pointed put, the man who originally played the role of Tom, Eddie Dowling, was 55 years old. Also, the play takes place in Tom's memory, so it's not so weird to cast an older actor. 

 

[E. riley]

interesting. Thanks!

[VernonGersch]

I wish Joe Mantello was directing this.  He's a genius innovator and creator _ still looking forward to see this, again.

I saw a production with Judith Ivey and of course 2 years ago with Cherry Jones

[SmoothLover]

I love Mantello and want to marry him.

[newintown]

Although most of the play is Tom's memory, he is noted by the playwright as being dressed as a merchant sailor during his "present day" monologues. It's pretty unlikely (but not impossible) that Tom has spent 35 years in the merchant marine, as he's meant to be a Tom Williams stand-in. And although Dowling was 55 when he played the part, he was also the producer and director and a ham who put in the drunk scene that Williams never really cared for - i.e., perhaps not the benchmark to set for the role. Laurette Taylor, by the way, was 61 shortly after the play opened. Julie Haydon, the original Laura, was 35 (Betsy Blair, at 21 years old, was her understudy).

Sally Field, a well-edited 69, is admittedly too old to have 2 children more than 40 years her junior, to whom she would have given birth at about 45 and 47 years old respectively, a highly unusual age for bearing children in the early part of the 20th century. The script gives us clear signposts to Tom, Laura, and Jim's ages  - Jim, according to Tom, is only six years out of high school, or 23-24 years old; Laura is Jim's contemporary, and Tom was in high school with them, and is therefore 19-23 years old.

All this is, however, academic. Field and Mantello are terrific actors (on film for Field, at least - has anyone seen her act live?), and will be fun to watch. Their ages are facts, and an incredibly minuscule percentage of theatre-goers are interested in facts.

[neonlightsxo]

It's a memory play. It'll be fine.

[quizking101]

Still peeved. The Jones/Quinto/Keenan Bolger revival was breathtaking

[AC126748]

newintown said: "Although most of the play is Tom's memory, he is noted by the playwright as being dressed as a merchant sailor during his "present day" monologues. It's pretty unlikely (but not impossible) that Tom has spent 35 years in the merchant marine, as he's meant to be a Tom Williams stand-in. And although Dowling was 55 when he played the part, he was also the producer and director and a ham who put in the drunk scene that Williams never really cared for - i.e., perhaps not the benchmark to set for the role. Laurette Taylor, by the way, was 61 shortly after the play opened. Julie Haydon, the original Laura, was 35 (Betsy Blair, at 21 years old, was her understudy).

Sally Field, a well-edited 69, is admittedly too old to have 2 children more than 40 years her junior, to whom she would have given birth at about 45 and 47 years old respectively, a highly unusual age for bearing children in the early part of the 20th century. The script gives us clear signposts to Tom, Laura, and Jim's ages  - Jim, according to Tom, is only six years out of high school, or 23-24 years old; Laura is Jim's contemporary, and Tom was in high school with them, and is therefore 19-23 years old.

All this is, however, academic. Field and Mantello are terrific actors (on film for Field, at least - has anyone seen her act live?), and will be fun to watch. Their ages are facts, and an incredibly minuscule percentage of theatre-goers are interested in facts.

 

"

Yes, in this very play 10 years ago, and she was smashing. Also in THE GOAT after she replaced Mercedes Ruehl, which I believe was her first professional stage role. And if that's true then she's an absolute natural. 

[neonlightsxo]

quizking101 said: "Still peeved. The Jones/Quinto/Keenan Bolger revival was breathtaking"

 

I agree that John Tiffany's production was great but that doesn't mean it goes back into the vault never to be performed again.

 

[standingovation79]

This is too soon. It's not only disrespectful to the artists of the last revival that was celebrated by critics and theater fans in NYC, but it's disrespectful to the play and the impact it will have on an audience. Revivals should be special, not done because a named celebrity wants to do it and producers know they can make money off of them. The estate should not allow another Broadway production for at least the next decade. The show will always be done, but let's give it a rest so the next time we see it we look forward to it...that's what the material warrants. I think this is ridiculous.

[neonlightsxo]

standingovation79, you seem fun.

[Theater_Nerd]

standingovation79 said: "This is too soon. It's not only disrespectful to the artists of the last revival that was celebrated by critics and theater fans in NYC, but it's disrespectful to the play and the impact it will have on an audience. Revivals should be special, not done because a named celebrity wants to do it and producers know they can make money off of them. The estate should not allow another Broadway production for at least the next decade. The show will always be done, but let's give it a rest so the next time we see it we look forward to it...that's what the material warrants. I think this is ridiculous.

 

Disrespectful? Aren't you being highly over-dramatic. This isn't disrespectful at all. Plays and musicals are open to revivals their is not a grace period set in stone for this. Case in point: "The Robber Bridegroom" was staged on Broadway in 1975 starring Kevin Kline and Patti LuPone. I believe LuPone received a Tony nomination for her role. It only played 14 performances before touring the U.S.

A little over a year later the show was re-mounted with a new cast which included Barry Bostwick essaying the role originated by Kevin Kline and he went on to win a Tony Award for Best Actor in a musical.

It is not disrespectful at all to anyone involved in the last or any other production of "The Glass Menagerie" to revive it now and it won't be disrespectful when this revival closes and another producer decides to re-mount it again whether it be 2 hours, 2 days, 2 months or 2 years later.

 

[J52]

Menagerie is the Gypsy of straight plays! (and I'm fine with it)

[skies]

Sally Field is an interesting choice for Amanda, can't wait to see what she brings to the role. 

[smidge]

JBroadway said: "Thread discussing this revival here: https://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.php?thread=1090517#4767744

 

Though it's interesting to know that it's now official. 

I think this is the 4th thread with the same discussion 

 

"

 

[indytallguy]

If you're impatiently waiting for this production, here's the review of the Edinburgh International Festival production where Cherry Jones is again leading John Tiffany's production albeit with a different group of colleagues.  Michael Esper as Tom particularly interests me.

The Financial Times review is here.

If you get paywalled, Google "The Glass Menagerie, King’s Theatre, Edinburgh Festival: ?Terrific’" and you should get a link that will take you through.

Link to the production info.

[Melissa25]

I have tickets for March.  Just got an email from LCT that this is moving from the Golden to the Belasco.