The Time of the Cuckoo
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The Time of the Cuckoo is a play by Arthur Laurents. It focuses on the bittersweet romance between Leona Samish, 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. It opened at the Empire Theatre on October 15, 1952 and closed on May 30, 1953 after 263 performances. The theatre was demolished shorty after the play closed [1].
The play was adapted for the screen under the title Summertime in 1955 and for the musical stage as Do I Hear a Waltz? in 1965.
Contents |
[edit] Opening night cast
- Shirley Booth ..... Leona Samish
- Geraldine Brooks ..... June Yaeger
- Dino Diluca ..... Renato Di Rossi
- Donald Murphy ..... Eddie Yaeger
- Lydia St. Clair ..... Signora Fiora
- Silva Gaselli ..... Giovanna
- Jose Perez ..... Mauro
- Daniel Reed ..... Mr. McIlhenny
- Ruggero Romor ..... Vito
- Jane Rose ..... Mrs. McIlhenny
Bethel Leslie replaced Geraldine Brooks later in the run.
[edit] Principal production credits
- Producers ..... Robert Whitehead, Walter Fried
- Scenic Design ..... Ben Edwards
- Lighting Design .....Ben Edwards
- Costume Design ..... Helene Pons
[edit] Awards
Shirley Booth won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play.
[edit] Off-Broadway revivals
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 [2].
In 2000, the play was revived for a limited run from January 27 to May 7 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre 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 [3].
