The Women (play)

This article is about the Broadway play. For the 1939 film based on it, see The Women (1939 film). For the 2008 film adaptation, see The Women (2008 film). For the 2017 Nigerian thriller, which is not related to the play, see The Women (2017 film).

The Women
Random House 1937, First edition cover[1]
Written by	Clare Boothe Luce
Characters	Mary (Mrs. Haines) Crystal Allen Sylvia (Mrs. Fowler) Peggy (Mrs. Day) Nancy Blake Edith (Mrs. Potter) Mrs. Morehead Countess De Lage
Date premiered	December 26, 1936 (1936-12-26)
Place premiered	Ethel Barrymore Theatre
Series	1939 Broadway 1939 film version 1956 musical comedy film version 1973 Broadway revival 2001 Broadway revival 2008 film version
Genre	Comedy of manners
Setting	New York and Reno

The Women is a 1936 American play, a comedy of manners by Clare Boothe Luce. Only women compose the cast.

The original Broadway production, directed by Robert B. Sinclair, opened on December 26, 1936, at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, where it ran for 657 performances with an all-female cast that included Margalo Gillmore, Ilka Chase, Betty Lawford, Jessie Busley, Phyllis Povah, Marjorie Main, and Arlene Francis.^[2][3]

Synopsis

The play is a commentary on the pampered lives and power struggles of various wealthy Manhattan socialites and up-and-coming women and the gossip that propels and damages their relationships. While men frequently are the subject of their lively discussions and drive the action on-stage, they never are seen or heard.

Production

Following a premiere December 7, 1936, at the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia,^[4] The Women opened December 26, 1936, at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York City. Produced by Max Gordon, the original Broadway production was directed by Robert B. Sinclair with settings by Jo Mielziner and costumes by John Hambleton.^[5][6]

The play was revived on Broadway in 1973 at the 46th Street Theatre, running April 25-June 17, with 63 performances. It was directed by Morton Da Costa, with scenic design by Oliver Smith, costume design by Ann Roth, and lighting design by John Gleason. Other supporting staff included: production stage manager Victor Straus; stage managers Nick Malekos and Suzanne Egan; costume supervisor Ray Diffen; press representatives Shirley Herz and Stuart Fink.^[7]

A second revival opened November 8, 2001, at the American Airlines Theatre and closed January 13, 2002, after 77 performances. Production staff included Director Scott Elliott, with assisting direction by Marie Masters; production stage manager Peter Hanson; stage manager Valerie A. Peterson; scenic designer Derek McLane; costume designer Isaac Mizrahi; lighting designer Brian MacDevitt; and sound designer Douglas J. Cuomo. Jeff Francis did hair design, and Gary Arave designed the wigs.^[8]

Cast

Role	Production
	1936 Broadway	1939 film	1973 revival	2001 revival	2008 film
Sylvia Fowler	Ilka Chase	Rosalind Russell	Alexis Smith	Kristen Johnston	Annette Bening
Mary Haines	Margalo Gillmore	Norma Shearer	Kim Hunter	Cynthia Nixon	Meg Ryan
Crystal Allen	Betty Lawford	Joan Crawford	Marie Wallace	Jennifer Tilly	Eva Mendes
Little Mary	Charita Bauer	Virginia Weidler	Cynthia Lister	Hallie Kate Eisenberg	—
Mrs. Morehead	Jessie Busley	Lucile Watson	Myrna Loy	Mary Louise Wilson	—
Miss Watts	Virgilia Chew	Ruth Hussey	Leora Dana	Susan Bruce	—
Miriam Aarons	Audrey Christie	Paulette Goddard	Rhonda Fleming	Lynn Collins	—
Countess de Lage	Margaret Douglas	Mary Boland	Jan Miner	Rue McClanahan	—
Lucy	Marjorie Main		Polly Rowles	Julie Halston	—
Peggy Day	Adrienne Marden	Joan Fontaine	Marian Hailey	Amy Ryan	—
Miss Trimmerback	Mary Murray	Mary Beth Hughes	Elizabeth Perry	Ann Talman	—
Nancy Blake	Jane Seymour	Florence Nash	Mary Louise Wilson	Lisa Emery	—
Jane	Ann Teeman	Muriel Hutchison	Regina Ress	Heather Matarazzo	—
Maggie	Mary Cecil		—	Mary Bond Davis	Cloris Leachman
Princess Tamara	Arlene Francis	—	Jeanne DeBaer	Roxanna Hope	—
Helene	Arlene Francis	—	Caryll Coan	Roxanne Hope	—
Mrs. Wagstaff	Ethel Jackson	—	Camila Ashland	Barbara Marineau	—
Edith Potter	Phyllis Povah		Dorothy Loudon	Jennifer Coolidge	—
Sadie	Marjorie Wood	—	Camila Ashland	Cheryl Stern	—

Adaptations

Film

The 1939 film version was directed by George Cukor and starred Norma Shearer and Joan Crawford. Supporting cast included Rosalind Russell, Paulette Goddard, Joan Fontaine and Mary Boland.

In 1956, the story was made into a musical film titled The Opposite Sex, starring June Allyson and Joan Collins.

Diane English co-wrote and directed the 2008 remake that was in development for 15 years. It starred Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett Smith, Carrie Fisher, Cloris Leachman, Debi Mazar, Bette Midler, and Candice Bergen.

Television

On February 7, 1955, the NBC anthology drama series Producers' Showcase broadcast an adaptation of the play, starring Ruth Hussey as Mary. Paulette Goddard and Mary Boland, who had each appeared in the 1939 film, also appeared in this production, as Sylvia Fowler and the Countess, respectively. Shelley Winters played the part of Crystal Allen,^[9] while Mary Astor portrayed Nancy Blake and Bibi Osterwald was Edith Potter.

On June 18, 2002, the PBS anthology theatre series Stage on Screen broadcast a recording of the 2001 Broadway revival.

Awards and nominations

2001 Revival

Year	Award	Category	Nominee	Result
2002	Drama Desk Awards	Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play	Jennifer Coolidge	Nominated
		Outstanding Set Design in a Play	Derek McLane	Nominated
		Outstanding Costume Design	Isaac Mizrahi	Won

References

1. Luce, Clare Boothe (1937). "The Women".
2. "The Women". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
3. Goldstein, Malcolm (2007). "The Women". The Columbia Encyclopedia of Modern Drama, Volume 2. Columbia University Press. p. 1489. ISBN 978-0-231-14032-4.
4. "Premiere of 'The Women'". The New York Times. December 8, 1936. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
5. "'The Women' Start Knitting Tonight at the Ethel Barrymore". The New York Times. December 26, 1936. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
6. Atkinson, Brooks (December 28, 1936). "Clare Boothe's 'The Women' Records the Habits of the Modern Female of the Species". The New York Times. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
7. League, The Broadway. "The Women – Broadway Play – 1973 Revival | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
8. League, The Broadway. "The Women – Broadway Play – 2001 Revival | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
9. Life, February 28, 1955.

External links

• ​The Women​ (1936 Broadway production) at the Internet Broadway Database
• ​The Women​ (1973 Broadway revival) at the Internet Broadway Database
• ​The Women​ (2001 Broadway revival) at the Internet Broadway Database
• Turner Classic Movies article on The Women
• "The Women" Past & Present @ LaFemmeReel.com