The Women (play)

The Women is a 1936 American play, a comedy of manners by Clare Boothe Luce. Only women comprise the cast.

The original Broadway production, directed by Robert B. Sinclair, opened on December 26, 1936, at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, where it ran for 657 performances with an all-female cast that included Margalo Gillmore, Ilka Chase, Betty Lawford, Jessie Busley, Phyllis Povah, Marjorie Main, and Arlene Francis.

Synopsis

The play is a commentary on the pampered lives and power struggles of various wealthy Manhattan socialites and up-and-coming women and the gossip that propels and damages their relationships. While men frequently are the subject of their lively discussions and drive the action on-stage, they never are seen or heard.

Production

Following a premiere December 7, 1936, at the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia, The Women opened December 26, 1936, at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York City. Produced by Max Gordon, the original Broadway production was directed by Robert B. Sinclair with settings by Jo Mielziner and costumes by John Hambleton.

The play was revived on Broadway in 1973 at the 46th Street Theatre, running April 25-June 17, with 63 performances. It was directed by Morton Da Costa, with scenic design by Oliver Smith, costume design by Ann Roth, and lighting design by John Gleason. Other supporting staff included: production stage manager Victor Straus; stage managers Nick Malekos and Suzanne Egan; costume supervisor Ray Diffen; press representatives Shirley Herz and Stuart Fink.

A second revival opened November 8, 2001, at the American Airlines Theatre and closed January 13, 2002, after a 77 performances. Production staff included Director Scott Elliott, with assisting direction by Marie Masters; production stage manager Peter Hanson; stage manager Valerie A. Peterson; scenic designer Derek McLane; costume designer Isaac Mizrahi; lighting designer Brian MacDevitt; and sound designer Douglas J. Cuomo. Jeff Francis did hair design, and Gary Arave designed the wigs.

Cast

1936 Original Broadway

• Charita Bauer – Little Mary
• Eloise Bennett – Euphie
• Eileen Burns – Miss Fordyce
• Jessie Busley – Mrs. Morehead
• Mary Cecil – Maggie
• Ilka Chase – Sylvia (Mrs. Howard Fowler)
• Virgilia Chew – Miss Watts
• Audrey Christie – Miriam Aarons
• Beatrice Cole – Second Model
• Doris Day (not the movie star) – First Saleswoman
• Margaret Douglas – Countess de Lave
• Lucille Fenton – Head Saleswoman/A Nurse
• Arlene Francis – Princess Tamara/Helene
• Margalo Gillmore – Mary (Mrs. Stephen Haines)
• Ruth Hammond – Olga
• Joy Hathaway – A Fitter
• Anne Hunter – Exercise Instructress
• Ethel Jackson – Mrs. Wagstaff
• Betty Lawford – Crystal Allen
• Marjorie Main – Lucy
• Adrienne Marden – Peggy (Mrs. John Day)
• Jane Moore – Second Hairdresser
• Mary Murray – Miss Trimmerback
• Lillian Norton – Cigarette Girl
• Phyllis Povah – Edith (Mrs. Phelps Potter)
• Jean Rodney – Second Saleswoman
• Jane Seymour – Nancy Blake
• Mary Stuart – First Hairdresser
• Ann Teeman – Jane
• Martina Thomas – Third Saleswoman
• Beryl Wallace – First Model
• Ann Watson – Pedicurist
• Marjorie Wood – Sadie

1973 revival

• Camila Ashland – Mrs. Wagstaff/Sadie
• Caryll Coan – Pedicurist/First Girl/Helene/Girl in Distress
• Leora Dana – A Fitter/Miss Watts/Second Woman
• Jeanne DeBaer – Shirley/Princess Tamara/First Girl
• Doris Dowling – A Nurse
• Rhonda Fleming – Miriam Aaron
• Dorothy Loudon – Edith (Mrs. Phelps Potter)
• Connie Forslund – Second Girl/Mat Girl/Debutante
• Marian Hailey – Peggy (Mrs. John Day)
• Kim Hunter – Mary (Mrs. Stephen Haines)
• Bobo Lewis – Olga/Dowager
• Cynthia Lister – Little Mary
• Myrna Loy – Mrs. Morehead
• Jan Miner – Countess de Lage
• Elizabeth Perry – Customer/Miss Trimmerback/Second Girl/Third Model
• Regina Ress – Jane
• Polly Rowles – Miss Curtis/Lucy
• Louise Shaffer – Second Hairdresser/Second Model/Cigarette Girl
• Alexis Smith – Sylvia (Mrs. Howard Fowler)
• Lynne Stuart – Mudmask/First Model
• Claudette Sutherland – First Hairdresser/Exercise Instructress/First Woman
• Marie Wallace – Crystal Allen
• Patricia Wheel – Miss Shapiro
• Mary Louise Wilson – Nancy Blake

2001 revival

• Lynn Collins – Miriam Aarons
• Jennifer Coolidge – Edith (Mrs. Phelps Potter)
• Hallie Kate Eisenberg – Little Mary
• Lisa Emery – Nancy Blake
• Kristen Johnston – Sylvia (Mrs. Howard Fowler)
• Rue McClanahan – Countess de Lage
• Cynthia Nixon – Mary (Mrs. Stephen Haines)
• Amy Ryan – Peggy (Mrs. John Day)
• Jennifer Tilly – Crystal Allen
• Mary Louise Wilson – Mrs. Morehead
• Susan Bruce – Miss Watts/Second Saleswoman/Second Woman
• Jennifer Butt – Olga/A Fitter/First Girl
• Jane Cronin – Miss Fordyce
• Jen Davis – First Model
• Mary Bond Davis – Maggie
• Julie Halston – Lucy/Mudmask/First Saleswoman/First Woman
• Roxanna Hope – Princess Tamara/Second Hairdresser/Helene/Debutante
• Kelly Mares – Second Model
• Barbara Marineau – Mrs. Wagstaff/Second Salesgirl/Dowager
• Heather Matarazzo – Jane
• Adina Porter – A Nurse/Euphie/Miss Myrtle/Cigarette Girl
• Gayton Scott – Exercise Instructress/First Hairdress/Second Girl
• Cheryl Stern – Miss Shapiro/Pedicurist/Sadie
• Ann Talman – Miss Trimmerback/First Salesgirl/Girl in Distress

Adaptations

Film

The 1939 film version was directed by George Cukor and starred Norma Shearer and Joan Crawford. Supporting cast included Rosalind Russell, Paulette Goddard, Joan Fontaine and Mary Boland.

In 1956, the story was made into a musical film titled The Opposite Sex, starring June Allyson and Joan Collins.

Diane English co-wrote and directed the 2008 remake that was in development for 15 years. It starred Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett Smith, Carrie Fisher, Cloris Leachman, Debi Mazar, Bette Midler, and Candice Bergen.

Television

On February 7, 1955, the NBC anthology drama series Producers' Showcase broadcast an adaptation of the play, starring Ruth Hussey as Mary. Paulette Goddard and Mary Boland, who had each appeared in the 1939 film, also appeared in this production, as Sylvia Fowler and the Countess, respectively. Shelley Winters played the part of Crystal Allen, while Mary Astor portrayed Nancy Blake and Bibi Osterwald was Edith Potter.

On June 18, 2002, the PBS anthology theatre series Stage on Screen broadcast a recording of the 2001 Broadway revival.

Awards and nominations

2001 Revival

References

External links

• ​The Women​ (1936 Broadway production) at the Internet Broadway Database
• ​The Women​ (1973 Broadway revival) at the Internet Broadway Database
• ​The Women​ (2001 Broadway revival) at the Internet Broadway Database
• Turner Classic Movies article on The Women
• "The Women" Past & Present @ LaFemmeReel.com

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