The Sisters Rosensweig is a
play by
Wendy
Wasserstein. The play focuses on three Jewish- American sisters
and their lives. It "broke theatrical ground by concentrating on a
non-traditional cast of three middle-aged women." Wasserstein
received the William Inge Award for Distinguished Achievement in
American Theatre for this play.
Production history
The play
first opened in April 1992 at the Seattle
Repertory Theatre
.
It
premiered off-Broadway in a Lincoln Center
Theater
production at the Mitzi Newhouse Theater on October
22, 1992 and closed on February 28, 1993 after 149
performances. Directed by
Daniel J. Sullivan, the cast included
Jane Alexander and
Madeline Kahn.
It
transferred to Broadway
at the
Ethel Barrymore
Theatre
on March 18, 1993 and closed on July 16
1994 after 556 performances. Again
directed by Sullivan, the Broadway cast remained the same as
off-Broadway, except that
Christine
Estabrook took the role of "Pfeni" for
Frances McDormand. Notable replacements
include
Linda Lavin as Gorgeous
Teitelbaum and
Michael Learned as
Sara Goode.
Original Broadway Cast
Critical response
The
New York Times review of
the original production wrote that the play is: "...[a] captivating
look at three uncommon women and their quest for love,
self-definition and fulfillment. But underlying the comedy is an
empathetic concern for the characters and for the prospects of
women today. At the same time, the play has its imperfections.
There are gratuitous remarks and irrelevancies."
Awards and nominations
- Outer Critics Circle
Award
- Best Broadway Play (winner)
- Best Actor (Play) Robert Klein (winner)
- Best Actress (Play) Madeline Kahn (winner)
- Best Actress (Play) Jane Alexander (nominee)
- Best Director (Play) (winner)
- Tony Award
- Best Play (nominee)
- Best Actress in a Play Madeline Kahn (winner)
- Best Actress in a Play Jane Alexander (nominee)
- Best Costume Design Jane Greenwod (nominee)
- Best Direction of a Play (nominee)
- Drama Desk Award
- Outstanding New Play (nominee)
- Outstanding Actress in a Play Jane Alexander (winner)
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Robert Klein
(nominee)
- Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play Madeline Kahn
(winner)
- Outstanding Director of a Play (nominee)
References
- Herrington, Joan. The playwright's muse (2002),
Routledge, ISBN 0815337795, p. 35
- Gussow, Mel. "Review/Theater; Wasserstein: Comedy, Character,
Reflection",The New York Times, October 23, 1992
- Outer Critics Circle Award,
1992-1993outercritics.org, accessed May 21, 2009
External links
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