A Thousand Clowns (play)
| A Thousand Clowns | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Herb Gardner |
| Date premiered | April 4, 1962 |
| Place premiered | Eugene O'Neill Theatre |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Setting | Murray Burns' apartment and Arnold Burns' office. Manhattan. 1962. |
A Thousand Clowns is a comedic stage play written by American playwright Herb Gardner.[1] The play premiered on Broadway in 1962 and was a critical and commercial success. The play was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play and since the original production has been revived twice on Broadway in 1996 and 2001.[2]
Production history
[edit]The play opened on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on April 5, 1962. The original production was directed and produced by Fred Coe and ran for 423 regular performances closing on April 13, 1963. Coe would go on to direct the 1965 film adaptation. The original production was nominated for three Tony Awards including Best Play, Best Featured Actress (Sandy Dennis) and Best Featured Actor (Barry Gordon). Sandy Dennis won the Tony Award for her performance as Sandra Markowitz.[3]
In 1996, Roundabout Theatre Company revived the play at the Criterion Center Stage Right, opening on July 15, 1996, and closing on August 10, 1996, after 32 regular performances. The production was directed by Scott Ellis.[4]
In 2001, a third Broadway revival was produced, opening at the Longacre Theatre and directed by John Rando. The production opened on July 11, 2001, and closed on September 23, 2001, after 83 regular performances.[5]
The play is available for licensing through Concord Theatricals.
In 1965, a film version of the play was released to critical success, earning four Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. Herb Gardner adapted his play for the screen as was nominated for Best Screenplay.[6]
Original casts and characters
[edit]| Character | Broadway (1962) | Broadway (1996) | Broadway (2001) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murray Burns | Jason Robards | Judd Hirsch | Tom Selleck |
| Sandra Markowitz | Sandy Dennis | Marin Hinkle | Barbara Garrick |
| Nick Burns | Barry Gordon | Dov Tiefenbach | Nicolas King |
| Leo Herman | Gene Saks | John Procaccino | Mark Blum |
| Albert Amundson | William Daniels | Jim Fyfe | Bradford Cover |
| Arnold Burns | Larry Haines | David Margulies | Robert LuPone |
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Awards | Best Play | Written by Herb Gardner Produced by Fred Coe and Arthur Cantor |
Nominated | [7] |
| Best Featured Actor in a Play | Barry Gordon | Nominated | ||
| Best Featured Actress in a Play | Sandy Dennis | Won |
References
[edit]- ^ Taubman, Howard (1962-04-06). "Theatre: 'A Thousand Clowns' Opens; Herb Gardner Comedy at Eugene O'Neill". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
- ^ Brantley, Ben (1996-07-15). "THEATER REVIEW;An Eternal Child, Sadder but Little Wiser". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
- ^ "A Thousand Clowns (Broadway, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, 1962)". Playbill. Archived from the original on 2025-01-21. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
- ^ A Thousand Clowns 1996 Playbill accessed 04/27/2025
- ^ "A Thousand Clowns (Broadway, Longacre Theatre, 2001)". Playbill. Archived from the original on 2025-02-12. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
- ^ Crowther, Bosley (1965-12-14). "Screen: 'A Thousand Clowns' Opens:Jason Robards Repeats His Success of Stage". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
- ^ "1963 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved December 12, 2021.