The House of Blue Leaves

The House of Blue Leaves is a play by John Guare.

Set in Sunnyside, Queens in 1965, on the day Pope Paul VI visited New York City, the black comedy features nuns, a political bombing, a GI headed for Vietnam, a zookeeper who dreams of making it big in Hollywood as a songwriter, and his wife Bananas, a schizophrenic destined for the institution that provides the play's title.

The first production of the play, directed by Mel Shapiro, opened on February 10, 1971 at the off-Broadway Truck and Warehouse Theatre, where it ran for 337 performances. The cast included Frank Converse, Harold Gould, Katherine Helmond, William Atherton, and Anne Meara.

A revival, directed by Jerry Zaks, played from March 19-April 20, 1986 at the Off-Broadway Mitzi Newhouse Theatre at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. It moved to Broadway by moving upstairs to the Vivian Beaumont Theatre on April 29, 1986, where it played for five months before transferring to the Plymouth Theatre, for a total run of 398 performances. The opening night cast included Swoosie Kurtz, John Mahoney, Stockard Channing, Danny Aiello, Ben Stiller, and Julie Hagerty. Christine Baranski and Patricia Clarkson joined the production later in the run.

A taped version of the Broadway production aired on television in 1987.

The play is a popular choice with summer stock and regional and community theatre groups.

[edit] 1986 awards and nominations

Tony Award for Best Play (nominee)
Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play (Mahoney, winner)
Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play (Kurtz, winner; Channing, nominee)
Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play (winner)
Tony Award for Best Scenic Design (winner)
Tony Award for Best Costume Design (nominee)
Tony Award for Best Lighting Design (nominee)
Theatre World Award (Hagerty, winner)
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival (winner)
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play (Mahoney, nominee)
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play (Kurtz and Channing, nominees)
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play (winner)
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design (winner)
Clarence Derwent Award (Mahoney and Helmond, winners)