The Price (play)

Last updated
The Price
To timima 2017 n02.jpg
Scene from a 2017 Greek production
Written by Arthur Miller
CharactersVictor Franz
Esther Franz
Gregory Solomon
Walter Franz
Date premieredFebruary 7, 1968
Place premiered Morosco Theatre, New York City
Original language English
Genre Drama
SettingThe attic of a to-be-demolished brownstone apartment building, New York City

The Price is a two-act play written in 1967 by Arthur Miller. [1] It is about family dynamics, the price of furniture and the price of one's decisions. The play premiered on Broadway in 1968, and has been revived four times on Broadway. It was nominated for two 1968 Tony Awards.

Contents

Miller stated that he wrote the play as a response to the Vietnam War and the "avant-garde plays that to one or another degree fit the absurd styles." [2]

Productions

The play opened on Broadway at the Morosco Theatre on February 7, 1968 where it played until the production moved to the 46th Street Theatre on November 18, 1968. The play closed on February 15, 1969 after 429 performances. The opening cast included Harold Gary as Gregory Solomon, Pat Hingle as Victor Franz, Kate Reid as Esther Franz, and Arthur Kennedy as Walter Franz. [3]

The Price was nominated for two 1968 Tony Awards, for Best Play (Arthur Miller, writer; Robert Whitehead, producer) and Best Scenic Design (Boris Aronson). The Price lost in the "Best Play" category to Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead . The play was profiled in the William Goldman book The Season: A Candid Look at Broadway .

A UK revival of the play was staged from August 9 to August 25, 2018 at the Theatre Royal, Bath to mark the 50th anniversary of the original run. Directed by Jonathan Church, it starred Brendan Coyle as Victor, Sara Stewart as Esther, Adrian Lukis as Walter and David Suchet as Gregory Solomon. [4] The production transferred to Wyndham's Theatre in London's West End from February 5 to April 27, 2019. [5]

It will be revived in the Gate Theatre (Dublin, Ireland) in 2023, directed by Conleth Hill. [6] [7]

Production history

The Price has been revived four times on Broadway since the original 1968 production:

Notable Regional Productions:

Casts

Characters1968 Original Broadway cast1979 Broadway revival1992 Broadway revival1999 Broadway Revival2017 Broadway revival2019 West End revival
Victor Franz Pat Hingle Mitchell Ryan Hector Elizondo Jeffrey DeMunn Mark Ruffalo Brendan Coyle
Esther Franz Kate Reid Scotty Bloch Debra Mooney Lizbeth MacKay Jessica Hecht Sara Stewart
Gregory SolomonHarold Gary Joseph Buloff Eli Wallach Bob Dishy Danny DeVito David Suchet
Walter Franz Arthur Kennedy Fritz Weaver Joe Spano Harris Yulin Tony Shalhoub Adrian Lukis

Overview

After the Great Depression, Victor Franz gave up going to college to support his father. After 30 years, Victor returns to sell his parents’ estate. His wife, Esther, his brother, Walter, and a canny furniture dealer have their own agendas. Victor must finally deal with his sacrifice.

Characters

Adaptations

Цена  [ ru ] — film by Mikhail Kalik. USSR 1969 year.

The Price was adapted for television, directed by Fielder Cook from a script by Miller, and broadcast as part of the Hallmark Hall of Fame on the NBC network on February 3, 1971. David Burns played Mr. Solomon, Colleen Dewhurst played Mrs. Franz, George C. Scott played Victor Franz, and Barry Sullivan played Walter Franz. [20] The production was nominated for six Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Scott), Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Drama (Burns), Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Drama - A Single Program (Cook), and Outstanding Single Program - Drama or Comedy (David Susskind, producer). Scott and Cook won.

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

YearAward ceremonyCategoryNomineeResult
1968 Tony Award Best Play Nominated
Best Scenic Design Boris Aronson Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding PlayWon
Outstanding PerformanceHarold GrayWon

1971 Television Special

YearAward ceremonyCategoryNomineeResult
1971 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Single Program - Drama or Comedy David Susskind Nominated
Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role George C. Scott Won
Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Colleen Dewhurst Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series David Burns Won
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Drama - A Single Program Fielder Cook Won
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction or Scenic Design - For a Dramatic Program or Feature Length Film, a Single Program of a Series or a Special Program John Clements Nominated
1972 Directors Guild of America Award Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television Fielder Cook Nominated

1979 Broadway revival

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResult
1980 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Fritz Weaver Nominated

1992 Broadway revival

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResult
1993 Tony Award Best Revival Nominated
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Revival of a Play Nominated
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Eli Wallach Nominated

1999 Broadway revival

YearAward ceremonyCategoryNomineeResult
2000 Tony Award Best Revival of a Play Nominated
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Revival of a Play Arthur Miller Nominated
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Harris Yulin Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Bob Dishy Nominated
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play Lizbeth MacKay Nominated

2017 Broadway revival

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResult
2017 Tony Award Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play Danny DeVito Nominated
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Won
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Revival of a PlayNominated
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Danny DeVito Won
Drama League Award Outstanding Revival of a PlayNominated
Distinguished Performance Danny DeVito Nominated

2019 West End revival

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResult
2019 Laurence Olivier Award Best Revival Wyndham's Theatre Nominated
Best Actor David Suchet Nominated
Best Actor in a Supporting Role Adrian Lukis Nominated

Related Research Articles

<i>Hello, Dolly!</i> (musical) 1964 Broadway musical

Hello, Dolly! is a 1964 musical with lyrics and music by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart, based on Thornton Wilder's 1938 farce The Merchant of Yonkers, which Wilder revised and retitled The Matchmaker in 1954. The musical follows the story of Dolly Gallagher Levi, a strong-willed matchmaker, as she travels to Yonkers, New York, to find a match for the miserly "well-known unmarried half-a-millionaire" Horace Vandergelder.

<i>Death of a Salesman</i> 1949 play by Arthur Miller

Death of a Salesman is a 1949 stage play written by the American playwright Arthur Miller. The play premiered on Broadway in February 1949, running for 742 performances. It is a two-act tragedy set in late 1940s Brooklyn told through a montage of memories, dreams, and arguments of the protagonist Willy Loman, a travelling salesman who is despondent with his life and appears to be slipping into senility. The play addresses a variety of themes, such as the American Dream, the anatomy of truth, and infidelity. It won the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play. It is considered by some critics to be one of the greatest plays of the 20th century. The play was selected as one of the best plays of 1948–1949, with an excerpted version published in The Burns Mantle Best Plays of 1948–1949.

<i>Ziegfeld Follies</i> Series of elaborate theatrical revue productions

The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934, 1936, 1943, and 1957. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laurie Metcalf</span> American actress (born 1955)

Laura Elizabeth Metcalf is an American actress and comedian. Known for her complex and versatile roles across the stage and screen, she has received various accolades throughout her career spanning more than four decades, including four Primetime Emmy Awards and two Tony Awards, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and three Golden Globe Awards.

American Buffalo is a 1975 play by American playwright David Mamet that had its premiere in a showcase production at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago. After two additional showcase productions, it opened on Broadway in 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">August Wilson Theatre</span> Broadway theater in Manhattan, New York

The August Wilson Theatre is a Broadway theater at 245 West 52nd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1925, the theater was designed by C. Howard Crane and Kenneth Franzheim and was built for the Theatre Guild. It is named for Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson (1945–2005). The August Wilson has approximately 1,225 seats across two levels and is operated by ATG Entertainment. The facade is a New York City designated landmark.

<i>Awake and Sing!</i> Drama by American playwright Clifford Odets

Awake and Sing! is a drama play written by American playwright Clifford Odets. The play was initially produced by The Group Theatre in 1935.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Circle in the Square Theatre</span> Broadway theater in Manhattan, New York

The Circle in the Square Theatre is a Broadway theater at 235 West 50th Street, within the basement of Paramount Plaza, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. The current Broadway theater, completed in 1972, is the successor of an off-Broadway theater of the same name, co-founded around 1950 by a group that included Theodore Mann and José Quintero. The Broadway venue was designed by Allen Sayles; it originally contained 650 seats and uses a thrust stage that extends into the audience on three sides. The theater had 776 seats as of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter Kerr Theatre</span> Broadway theater in Manhattan, New York

The Walter Kerr Theatre, previously the Ritz Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 219 West 48th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was constructed for the Shubert brothers in 1921. The venue, renamed in 1990 after theatrical critic Walter Kerr, has 975 seats across three levels and is operated by ATG Entertainment. The facade is plainly designed and is made of patterned brick. The auditorium contains Adam-style detailing, two balconies, and murals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre</span> Broadway theater in Manhattan, New York

The Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, formerly the Plymouth Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 236 West 45th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1917, the theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was built for the Shubert brothers. The Schoenfeld Theatre is named for Gerald Schoenfeld, longtime president of the Shubert Organization, which operates the theater. It has 1,079 seats across two levels. Both the facade and the auditorium interior are New York City landmarks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nederlander Theatre</span> Broadway theater in Manhattan, New York

The Nederlander Theatre is a Broadway theater at 208 West 41st Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1921, it was designed by William Neil Smith for theatrical operator Walter C. Jordan. It has around 1,235 seats across two levels and is operated by the Nederlander Organization. Since 1980, it has been named for American theater impresario David Tobias Nederlander, father of theatrical producer James M. Nederlander. It is the southernmost Broadway theater in the Theater District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Booth Theatre</span> Broadway theater in Manhattan, New York

The Booth Theatre is a Broadway theater at 222 West 45th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1913, the theater was designed by Henry Beaumont Herts in the Italian Renaissance style and was built for the Shubert brothers. The venue was originally operated by Winthrop Ames, who named it for 19th-century American actor Edwin Booth. It has 800 seats across two levels and is operated by The Shubert Organization. The facade and parts of the interior are New York City landmarks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ambassador Theatre (New York City)</span> Broadway theater in Manhattan, New York

The Ambassador Theatre is a Broadway theater at 219 West 49th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1921, the Ambassador Theatre was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was constructed for the Shubert brothers. It has 1,125 seats across two levels and is operated by The Shubert Organization. The auditorium interior is a New York City designated landmark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Sondheim Theatre</span> Broadway theater in Manhattan, New York

The Stephen Sondheim Theatre, formerly Henry Miller's Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 124 West 43rd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Owned by the Durst Organization and managed by the Roundabout Theatre Company, the modern 1,055-seat theater opened in 2009 at the base of the Bank of America Tower. The current theater is mostly underground and was designed by Cookfox, architects of the Bank of America Tower. It retains the landmarked facade of the original Henry Miller's Theatre, which was built in 1918 by Henry Miller, the actor and producer.

<i>Twentieth Century</i> (play) 1932 play by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur

Twentieth Century is a 1932 play by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur based on the unproduced play Napoleon of Broadway by Charles B. Millholland, inspired by his experience working for the eccentric Broadway impresario David Belasco.

The Roundabout Theatre Company is a non-profit theatre company based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryann Plunkett</span> American actress and singer

Maryann Plunkett is an American actress and singer.

The Heiress is a 1947 play by American playwrights Ruth and Augustus Goetz adapted from the 1880 Henry James novel Washington Square. Two years later, the play was adapted into the film The Heiress starring Olivia de Havilland.

The John Gore Organization (JGO), formerly known as Key Brand Entertainment (KBE), is a producer and distributor of live theater in North America, as well as an e-commerce company, focused on theater. KBE was founded in the UK in 2004 by 14-time Tony Award-winning Producer John Gore who is the company's Chairman, CEO and Owner.

The Philanthropist is a play by Christopher Hampton, written as a response to Molière's The Misanthrope. After opening at the Royal Court Theatre, London in August 1970, the piece, directed by Robert Kidd, transferred to the May Fair Theatre in the West End and ran there for over three years, subsequently going on a regional tour in 1974. In the meantime, the play, directed once again by Kidd, premiered on Broadway in March 1971, running till May of the same year. Kidd had previously collaborated with Hampton on When Did You Last See Your Mother? (1964), which had also been staged at the Royal Court Theatre.

References

  1. Miller, Arthur. Echoes Down the Corridor: Collected Essays, 1944–2000. New York: Viking, 2000, p. 297 ISBN   0670893145
  2. Miller, Arthur (1999-11-14). "The Past and Its Power: Why I Wrote 'The Price'" . Retrieved 2019-02-08.
  3. " 'The Price' 1968 Broadway" Playbill, accessed August 16, 2016
  4. "The Price — Theatre Royal Bath".
  5. "Arthur Miller's the Price to transfer to the West End with David Suchet". 15 October 2018.
  6. "The Price by Arthur Miller".
  7. "The Gate, after a challenging decade, looks to 'become the type of civic space a theatre should be'". The Irish Times.
  8. " 'The Price' 1979" ibdb.com, accessed August 16, 2016
  9. " 'The Price' 1992" ibdb.com, accessed August 16, 2016
  10. " 'The Price' 1999" ibdb.com, accessed August 16, 2016
  11. " The Price 1999" Playbill, accessed August 16, 2016
  12. Viagas, Robert. "Mark Ruffalo and Danny DeVito Begin Previews in Broadway 'Price'" Playbill, February 16, 2017
  13. Vine, Hannah. "Mark Ruffalo and Danny DeVito Bring 'The Price' Back to Broadway" Playbill, March 1, 2017
  14. The Price acttheatre.org, accessed August 16, 2016
  15. Pierpont, Katie. "Arthur Miller Classic 'The Price' to Play Center Theatre Group's Mark Taper Forum" theatermania.com, February 11, 2015
  16. The Price timelinetheatre.com, accessed August 16, 2016
  17. "Hal Linden is right for ‘The Price’ at Arena Stage" washingtonpost.com, accessed November 5, 2017
  18. 1 2 Miles, Ben. "Review. The Price" ShowMag, February 2015, retrieved February 17, 2017
  19. Billington, Michael (2018-08-17). "The Price review – David Suchet glows in Arthur Miller revival". The Guardian . Retrieved 2019-02-08.
  20. The Price paleycenter.org, accessed August 16, 2016

Further reading