'The Subject Was Roses' At Palm Beach Dramaworks

By: Sep. 13, 2007
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'THE SUBJECT WAS ROSES'

The Pulitzer Prize Winning Play by Frank D. Gilroy
Opens October 19th at Palm Beach Dramaworks

West Palm Beach's only resident professional theatre, Palm Beach Dramaworks kicks off its 8th anniversary season with Frank D. Gilroy's Pulitzer Prize Winning play "The Subject Was Roses" on Friday, October 19th (8PM) at their intimate downtown theatre (322 Banyan Boulevard). Special priced preview performances are slated for October 17th & 18th (8PM) and the production will play through December 2nd.

"The Subject Was Roses" tells the complex story of a married couple who have settled into their facade of a happy union. Emotional wounds and unresolved marital disputes resurface when their son, Timmy, returns home from World War II and is greeted by the open yet strained arms of his parents. When Timmy insists that his father take credit for the roses he has bought for his mother, this attempt at kindness turns into a spark that ignites long-hidden resentment and family warfare. "The Subject Was Roses" skillfully traces the rise and fall of this middle class Bronx family in the wake of World War II. While striving to recapture lost love and regain familial connections, the opposite of what they strive for is achieved.

Dramaworks' Producing Artistic Director William Hayes will direct the production starring Cary Barker as Nettie Cleary, James Rutledge as John Cleary and Zolan Henderson as Timmy Cleary. The play will feature scenery designed by Michael Amico, costumes designed by Erin Amico and lights designed by SuzAnne Jones.

"The Subject Was Roses," starring Jack Albertson, Irene Dailey and Martin Sheen, first opened at Broadway's Royale Theatre in May of 1964, earning five Tony Award nominations, winning two Tony's for Best Featured Actor (Albertson) and Best Play. In 1968, Gilroy adapted "The Subject Was Roses" for the screen, earning Albertson an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Frank D. Gilroy won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for "The Subject Was Roses," his Broadway debut in 1964. Born in New York City in 1925, Gilroy started his career as a screenwriter during the "Golden Age" of live television. Since then, he has directed, produced and continued to write. His screenplay credits include Desperate Characters, starring Shirley MacLaine and The Gallant Hours, starring James Cagney. In addition to adapting "The Subject Was Roses" for film, Gilroy also adapted his play The Only Game in Town which starred Elizabeth Taylor and Warren Beatty.

The Palm Beach Dramaworks season will continue with a distinguished roster of plays including "The Fourth Wall" by A.R. Gurney (December 21st – February 3rd), "Agnes of God" by John Pielmeier (February 22nd – April 6th) and "Benefactors" by Michael Frayn (April 25th – June 15th).

Palm Beach Dramaworks is a non-profit, professional theatre and is a member of the Theatre Communications Group, the South Florida Theatre League, Florida Professional Theatres Association, Florida Theatre Conference, and the Palm Beach County Cultural Council.

Performance times are Wednesday through Saturday at 8PM with select Sunday performances at 7PM and matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2PM. Individual tickets are $40 for evening performances and $38 for matinees. Group rates for 20 or more, and discounted season subscriptions are also available. The theatre is located in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach, at 322 Banyan Boulevard, between Dixie Highway and Olive Avenue, Florida33401. Parking is offered across the street for a nominal fee, or in the City Garage on the corner of Olive Avenue and Banyan Boulevard for $1.00 per hour with the first hour free! For ticket information contact the box office at (561) 514-4042, open Tuesday through Saturday from 10AM to 4PM, or visit their website at www.palmbeachdramaworks.org.

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