The Time of the Cuckoo

The Time of the Cuckoo is a play by Arthur Laurents. It focuses on the bittersweet romance between Leona Samish (Shirley Booth), a single American executive secretary vacationing in Europe and Renato Di Rossi, a shopkeeper she meets in Venice. Di Rossi, trapped in a loveless marriage, relentlessly pursues Leona, who initially is shocked by the thought of an illicit affair but eventually succumbs to the Italian's charms.

The Broadway production was directed by Harold Clurman. The play opened at the Empire Theater on October 15, 1952, and closed on May 30, 1953, after 263 performances. The theatre was demolished shortly after the play closed.[1]

The play was adapted for the screen under the title Summertime (starring Katharine Hepburn and Rossano Brazzi) and titled in Great Britain as Summer Madness in 1955, directed by British director David Lean (Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago) and for the musical stage as Do I Hear a Waltz? in 1965.

Opening night cast

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Bethel Leslie replaced Geraldine Brooks and Keith Green replaced Jose Perez later in the off-broadway revival.

John Serry, Sr. performed as the concert accordionist and soloist in the orchestra.[3][4][5]

Principal production credits

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Awards

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Shirley Booth won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play.

Off-Broadway revivals

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The York Theatre Company in Manhattan mounted a production of the play for 16 performances in early 1986. Stuart Howard directed a cast that included Michael Learned, George Guidall, and Debra Jo Rupp.[6]

In 2000, the play was revived for a limited run from January 27 to May 7 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater located in Lincoln Center. The production, with a revised script by Laurents, was directed by Nicholas Martin. The cast included Debra Monk (who won an Obie Award for her performance), Olek Krupa, Tom Aldredge, and Polly Holliday. Theoni V. Aldredge designed the costumes.[7]

In February 2011, the play was revived for a limited run at the Tap House Grill Theatre in downtown Oswego, Illinois by The Oswego Playhouse. The cast included Beth Goncher, Jill Orr, Steve Fiorito, Brent Miller, Lynn Meredith, Kelly Cash, Brandon Miller, Cole Perkins, Jim Stott and Sharon Pagoria. The production was directed by Daina Gielser.[8]

References

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  1. ^ The Empire Theatre at the Internet Broadway Database
  2. ^ "The Time of the Cuckoo". Internet Broadway Database.
  3. ^ The New York Journal American, May 25, 1953, p. 15 (See photograph of all cast member's signatures on Shirley Booth's stage door)
  4. ^ "Celebrating National Music Week - Accordion Concert" : John Serry - p. 12...appearing with award winner Shirly Booth in "Time of the Cuckoo" See photograph and caption of John Serry in the "Reading Eagle" April 19, 1953 p. 12 on Google Books
  5. ^ Eastman School of Music - University of Rochester - Sibley Music Library: John J. Serry Sr. Collection - Series 3: Scrapbook - contains a clipping with a photograph from the "New York Journal American" May 25, 1953 p. 15 showing the stage cast door from the Empire Theater with Shirley Booth pointing to signatures of the cast of "The Time of the Cuckoo" which includes John Serry's signature. The John J. Serry Sr. Collection p. 17 Series 3 Scrapbook Box 3 Item 1 archived at the University of Rochester Eastman School of Music on esm.rochester.edu
  6. ^ The Time of the Cuckoo at the Lortel Archives Off-Broadway Database Archived 2007-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Lincoln Center calendar Archived 2007-06-23 at archive.today
  8. ^ Oswego Playhouse presents "The Time of the Cuckoo"
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