Desire Under the Elms
Broadway Drama Previews
April 14 2009
Opened April 27 2009
Limited run to July 5 2009
Closed May 24 2009
Run 16 previews & 32 performances Producer
Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Steve Traxler,
Bat-Barry Productions, Ronald Frankel, et al
Creative
Eugene O'Neill author
Robert Falls director
Ana Kuzmanic costume design
Michael Philippi lighting design
Walt Spangler scenic design
Richard Woodbury sound design
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Opening Night Cast |
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Brian Dennehy |
Ephraim Cabot |
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Carla Gugino |
Abbie Putnam |
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Pablo Schreiber |
Eben Cabot |
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Boris McGiver |
Peter Cabot |
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Daniel Stewart Sherman |
Simeon Cabot |
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Synopsis
It's always about the money, greed.
Or, as in this case, love and money
After Eben paid off his half-brothers
to go seek gold in California, he feels pretty secure that his claim
to the farm abandoned by father is pretty solid. Until, of course,
Ephraim returns, now with a new wife. Abbie has her own ideas as to
who should inherit the farm after Ephraim is gone and uses Eben to
her ends, as Eben uses her for his
And another one is used. An innocent
with no choice
Broadway Show History
Desire Under the Elms was
first staged in New York City by the Provincetown Players in 1924.
Opening at the Greenwich Village Theater on Nov 11th, It had quite
a peripatetic life, playing stints are Earl Carroll's Theater and
George M Cohan's Theater before finally closing at Daly's 63rd
Street Theater in October 1925 after a total of 420 performances.
Walter Huston appeared as Ephraim, joined by Charles Ellis as Eben
and Mary Morris as Abbie
The only Broadway revival prior to
this current production was directed by Harold Clurman, opening
January 16, 1952 at the
ANTA
Playhouse. Karl Malden (Ephraim), Douglas Watson (Eben) and
Carol Stone (Abbie) appeared in the main roles. Tidbit: Jocelyn
Brando, Marlon's older sister, appeared as Young Girl)
In the Movies
Things change when the folks in
Hollywood get there hands on things. The Delbert Mann directed 1958
film version of Desire added Florence and Lucinda Cabot as
roles, as well as an appearance by Eben's mother and, because Anna (nee
Abbie), is now "fiery," the story changed a bit. Burl Ives portrayed
Ephraim, Anthony Perkins appeared as Eben and Sophia Loren played
the newly named Anna
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