The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre among Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions. The awards were established in 1955, with acting awards being given without making distinctions between roles in plays and musicals, or actors and actresses. The new award categories were later created in the 1975 ceremony.
Tom Aldredge On Golden Pond Norman Thayer Jr.
Kevin Spacey A Moon for the Misbegotten James Tyrone, Jr.
"Drama Desk Award for Actor in a Play". Internet Broadway Database. 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-21.
Dracula is an 1897 Gothic horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker, famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula. Dracula has been assigned to many genres including vampire literature, horror fiction, the gothic novel. Stoker did not invent the vampire but he defined its modern form, and the novel has spawned numerous theatrical, film, a short note is located at the end of the final chapter written 7 years after the events outlined in the novel. At first enticed by Draculas gracious manners, Harker soon realizes that he is Draculas prisoner, wandering the Counts castle against Draculas admonition, Harker encounters three female vampires, called the sisters, from whom he is rescued by Dracula. After the preparations are made, Dracula leaves Transylvania and abandons Harker to the sisters, Harker barely escapes from the castle with his life. Not long afterward, a Russian ship, the Demeter, having weighed anchor at Varna, the captains log narrates the gradual disappearance of the entire crew, until the captain alone remained, himself bound to the helm to maintain course.
An animal resembling a dog is seen leaping ashore. The ships cargo is described as silver sand and 50 boxes of mould, or earth and he does this to secure for himself lairs and the 50 boxes of earth would be used as his graves which would grant safety and rest during times of feeding and replenishing his strength. Soon Dracula is indirectly shown to be stalking Lucy Westenra, who is holidaying in Whitby, as time passes she begins to suffer from episodes of sleepwalking and dementia, as witnessed by her friend Mina Murray, the fiancée of Jonathan Harker. Lucy receives three marriage proposals from Dr. John Seward, Quincey Morris, and Arthur Holmwood, Lucy accepts Holmwoods proposal while turning down Seward and Morris, but all remain friends. Dracula communicates with Sewards patient Renfield, an man who wishes to consume insects, birds. Renfield is able to detect Draculas presence and supplies clues accordingly, when Lucy begins to waste away suspiciously, Seward invites his old teacher, Abraham Van Helsing, who immediately determines the true cause of Lucys condition.
Travesties is a 1974 play by Tom Stoppard. The plays setting is primarily Zürich, Switzerland during the First World War, three important personalities were living in Zürich at that time, the modernist author James Joyce, the communist revolutionary Lenin, and the founder of Dada, Tristan Tzara. As he reminisces Carrs memory becomes prone to distraction, and instead of historical biography these characters are interpreted through the maze of his mind. Carrs memories are couched in a Zürich production of Oscar Wildes play The Importance of Being Earnest in which he had a starring role, Stoppard uses this production and Carrs mixed feelings surrounding it as a framework to explore art, the war and revolution. Situations from Earnest feature prominently within the action, the characters in Travesties include versions of two characters from Earnest and Cecily, and the comedic situations of many of the other roles are shared by other characters. Stoppard uses many theatrical devices within the play, including puns, the real Carr did play Algernon with a group of actors called The English Players, for whom the real James Joyce was the business manager.
Carr and Joyce had a disagreement after the play, which led to legal action. The dispute was settled with the judge deciding in favour of both disputants on different counts, Joyce parodied Carr, and the English Consul General in Zürich at that time, A. Percy Bennett, as two characters in Ulysses, with Carr being portrayed as a drunken, obscene soldier in the Circe episode. After the first performance of Travesties Stoppard received a letter from Henry Carrs widow, Travesties was first produced at the Aldwych Theatre, London, on 10 June 1974, by the Royal Shakespeare Company. The production was directed by Peter Wood and designed by Carl Toms and it closed on 13 March 1976 after 156 performances at the Aldwych, the Albery Theatres in London and the Ethel Barrymore Theater in New York City. Reichel in 1978 with Martin Benrath, Nikolaus Paryla, and de, the production was transferred to the Savoy Theatre in March 1994 and ran there until June 1994. A reading was given at the British Library in February 2008, the production broke box office records at the Menier Chocolate Factory, becoming the first play in the company’s history to sell out ahead of its first preview.
The Misanthrope, or the Cantankerous Lover is a 17th-century comedy of manners in verse written by Molière. It was first performed on 4 June 1666 at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal, the play satirizes the hypocrisies of French aristocratic society, but it engages a more serious tone when pointing out the flaws which all humans possess. It differs from most of Molières other works by focusing more on character development, the play, though not a commercial success in its time, survives as Molières best known work today. Molière has received criticism for The Misanthrope. The French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, claimed in his Letter to M. DAlembert on Spectacles that it was Molières best work and he believed that the audience should be supporting Alceste and his views about society rather than disregarding his idealistic notions and belittling him as a character. Alceste The protagonist and misanthrope of the title and he is quick to criticize the flaws of everyone around him, including himself.
He cannot help but love Célimène though he loathes her behaviour, Célimène A young woman who is courted by Alceste, Oronte and Clitandre. She is playful and flirtatious, and likes to point out the flaws of everyone she meets behind their backs, Célimène pays much attention to social appearances. Philinte A polite man who cares for Alceste, and recognizes the importance of occasionally veiling ones true opinions in a social context. He is mainly thought of as Alcestes foil, Acaste A young, pompous marquis who believes he is deserving of Célimènes love. Oronte An outgoing, seemingly confident man who loves Célimène for a time and his insecurity is revealed when he is unable to handle Alcestes criticism of his love sonnet. Arsinoé A highly moralistic older woman who is jealous of the attentions which Alceste pours onto Célimène, Éliante Love interest to Philinte and cousin to Célimène, who initially pines for Alceste. She possesses a good balance between societal conformity and individual expression, Clitandre Another marquis who attempts to woo Célimène and win her love, and enjoys gossiping with her about notable social figures.
Streamers is a play by David Rabe. In charge of their barracks are abrasive alcoholic Sgt, who already has served overseas, and aggressive Sgt. Rooney, who is anxious to get into combat, the title is a reference to parachutes that fail to open. Streamers originally was a play entitled Knives Rabe completed in the late 1960s prior to writing the first two-thirds of his trilogy. While working as a journalist in New Haven, Connecticut, he expanded it into a full-length play, under the direction of Mike Nichols, it premiered at the Long Wharf Theatre on January 30,1976. The cast included Herbert Jefferson, Jr. as Roger, Peter Evans as Richie, John Heard as Billy, Joe Fields as Carlyle, Dolph Sweet as Cokes, Streamers premiered at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut in 1976. The play transferred to the Off-Broadway Lincoln Center Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater opening on April 21,1976, the cast included Terry Alexander as Roger, Paul Rudd as Billy and Dorian Harewood as Carlyle, with Evans, and McMillian reprising their Long Wharf roles.
Sizwe Banzi Is Dead is a play by Athol Fugard, written collaboratively with two South African actors, John Kani and Winston Ntshona, both of whom appeared in the original production. Its world première occurred on 8 October 1972 at the Space Theatre, Cape Town and its subsequent British première won a London Theatre Critics Award for the Best Play of 1974. Its American première occurred at the Edison Theatre, in New York City, the play opens in the photography studio of a man named Styles. The studio is located in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, after reading a newspaper article on an automobile plant, Styles tells a humorous story to the audience about an incident that occurred when he worked at Ford Motor Company. Styles continues to read the paper and talks about his photography studio and his musings are interrupted when a customer, Sizwe Bansi, arrives. He asks to have his picture taken, but when Styles asks him for his deposit and name, Sizwe hesitates, Styles asks Sizwe what he will do with the photo, and Sizwe tells him he will send it to his wife.
When the picture is taken, the moment is frozen into what the photograph will look like and it comes to life and Sizwe dictates the letter to his wife that will accompany the photo. In the letter, Sizwe tells his wife that Sizwe Bansi is dead and he writes that when he arrived in Port Elizabeth from their home in King William’s Town, he stayed with a friend named Zola who tried to help Sizwe find a job. His employment search was unsuccessful, as a result, he was told by the authorities that he must leave in three days, Sizwe went to stay with Zola’s friend, Buntu. The play returns to present time, staying at Buntu’s house, Sizwe tells Buntu about his problems — unless a miracle happens, he will have to leave town in three days. Buntu is sympathetic to the problem and suggests he work in the mines in King William’s Town, Sizwe rejects the idea as too dangerous. Buntu decides to take him out for a treat at Sky’s place, the focus switches back to Sizwe as he continues to compose the letter to his wife.
Richard Paul Kiley was an American stage and film actor. He is best known for his theatrical career in which he twice won the Tony Award for Best Actor In A Musical. Kiley created the role of Don Quixote in the original 1965 production of the Broadway musical Man of La Mancha and was the first to sing and record The Impossible Dream, the hit song from the show. In the 1953 hit musical Kismet, he played the Caliph and was one of the quartet introducing the song And This Is My Beloved. Additionally, he won three Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards during his 50-year career and his sonorous baritone was featured in the narration of a number of documentaries, Kiley was born in Chicago and raised Roman Catholic. He graduated from Mt. Carmel High School in 1940, in the late 40s, he performed in Chicago-area summer stock theaters with actors such as Alan Furlan. Following his service in the United States Navy in World War II, he returned to Chicago working as an actor, in New York he studied singing with Ray Smolover.
He starred in the play, which aired live on January 12,1955. It caused a sensation, and won an Emmy for its writer and he played the role of role of John Malcolm Patterson, future Attorney General of Alabama, in the 1955 film The Phenix City Story. He won Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Musical for Redhead, in 1959, Kiley had gone on record as saying that he had grown tired of the regular leading man role but was always grateful for having been given the chance to play it. Kiley won three Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards for his work in television and he won both an Emmy and Golden Globe awards for The Thorn Birds and A Year in the Life. His third Emmy win was for Guest Actor in a Drama Series and he narrated the award-winning seven-part 1986 PBS documentary Planet Earth. Kiley often narrated documentaries on PBS and other TV channels, in Jurassic Park, Kileys voice is used to narrate the parks vehicle tour. Visitors to Universals Islands of Adventure theme park in Orlando, Florida, in 1993, Christian filmmakers set out to make a Jesus film which would be a Word-for-Word of the Gospel.
Frederick Hubbard Fred Gwynne was an American actor. Gwynne was best known for his roles in the 1960s sitcoms Car 54, Where Are You. and The Munsters, as well as his roles in The Cotton Club, Pet Sematary. Gwynne was born on July 10,1926, in New York City, son of Frederick Walker Gwynne, a partner in the securities firm Gwynne Brothers, and his wife, Dorothy. His paternal grandfather was an Episcopal priest born in Camus, near Strabane, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, Gwynne attended the Groton School, and entered Harvard College where he was affiliated with Adams House. Although Gwynne grew up in Tuxedo Park, New York, he spent most of his childhood in South Carolina and Colorado because his father traveled extensively. At Harvard, he was a member of the Fly Club, sang with the a group the Harvard Krokodiloes, was a cartoonist for the Harvard Lampoon. During World War II, Gwynne served in the United States Navy and he studied art under the G. I. Gwynne joined the Brattle Theatre Repertory Company after graduation, moved to New York City, in 1954 he made his first cinematic appearance playing - in an uncredited role - the laconic character Slim in the Oscar-winning film On the Waterfront opposite Marlon Brando and Lee J.
Cobb. Shortly afterwards Phil Silvers sought him out for his television show because he had been impressed by Gwynnes comedic work in Mrs. McThing, who seeks prize money by entering Honnergar in an eating contest. During the two-season run of the program he met friend and co-star. Gwynne was 6 ft 5 in tall, an attribute that contributed to his being cast as Herman Munster, for his role he had to wear 40 or 50 lbs of padding, and 4-inch asphalt-spreader boots. His face was painted a bright violet because it captured the most light on the black-and-white film, Gwynne was known for his sense of humor and retained fond recollections of Herman, saying in life. I might as well tell you the truth, much as I try not to, I cant stop liking that fellow. After his iconic role in The Munsters, he found himself typecast, in 1969, he was cast as Jonathan Brewster in a television production of Arsenic and Old Lace. A talented vocalist, Gwynne sang in a Hallmark Hall of Fame made-for-television production, The Littlest Angel, and went on to perform in a variety of roles on stage and screen.
The story was adapted from the novel by Bram Stoker.
Shakespearean actor and friend of Stoker's Sir Henry Irving was a possible real-life inspiration for the character of Dracula. The role was tailor-made to his dramatic presence, gentlemanly mannerisms, and affinity for playing villain roles. Irving, however, never agreed to play the part on stage.
Chamberlain and Mary Tyler Moore rehearsing Golightly in the mid-1960s.
Sinden (left) during filming of Never the Twain, with Susie Silvey and Windsor Davies.
Hughes as Dr. Joe Bogert on Doc, 1975.