Sunday in New York (play)

Sunday in New York was a 1961 American romantic comedy Broadway play written by Norman Krasna, produced by David Merrick, directed by Garson Kanin, and starring Robert Redford. It ran for 188 performances.[1]

For the 1963 film, see Sunday in New York (film).
Sunday in New York
Written byNorman Krasna
Date premiered29 November 1961
Place premieredCort Theatre, New York
Original languageEnglish
GenreComedy
SettingNew York City. The Present

It was made into a 1963 film, Sunday in New York, starring Jane Fonda, Rod Taylor and Cliff Robertson. Krasna wrote the screenplay.

Cast

Background

Hedda Hopper reported in November 1960 that Krasna was writing the play in Switzerland, where he had a home.[2] The play was optioned by David Merrick who in April 1961 arranged Garson Kanin to direct . (Kanin had directed Krasna's movie script for Bachelor Mother in 1939). Kanin called it Krasna's "best play, with a lot of feeling and very funny.[3]

Peter Graves and Jane Fonda were discussed as leads in the play.[4] Then in May 1961 Carroll Baker was mooted as star.[5] Baker ended up going into Come on Strong a play written by Kanin.[6] Jane Fonda was also offered the lead but she turned it down to make The Chapman Report which she felt was more challenging.[7]

The lead roles went to Pat Stanley, Robert Redford and Conrad Janis.

Redford had deliberately sought to do a comedy on Broadway because he had been doing so much heavy drama on stage and TV. He lobbied for the role; producer David Merrick was reluctant but eventually agreed to audition him. Kanin later said he did not intend to cast Redford in the lead as "we already had a major New York actor signed and sealed and in the wings."[8] Kanin auditioned Redford for a lesser part then the actor asked if he could read for the lead. The director agreed and said Redford gave "a subtle, funny, original performance" as Mike Mitchell. "He was canny. He'd been holding back on the first reading, which wasn't terrific, because he believed he was the lead."[9]

In order to do the play Redford pulled out of a three-picture deal he had signed with the Sanders brothers to make War Hunt which resulted in a lawsuit that kept him off screen until 1964.[10]

Rehearsals took place in October 1961. In Washington during try-outs, a teacher attended a production during previews with school children and walked out claiming the play was indecent.[11]

Reception

The New York Times called it "inventive and chic. Only the substance is familiar and thin."[12] Walter Kerr called it a "sentimentalised farce... precisely the kind of echo chamber exercise that drives intelligent young theatregoers to complete despair."[13]

Redford later said he liked the jokes but felt the play was "not up to the standard of a Kanin-Gordon script".[8] However the New York Times review was positive enough to ensure a semi-decent run and give Redford his first significant stage success.[9]

The show closed in May 1962 after 189 performances.[14]

The play ran for two years in Paris, and had a successful run in Los Angeles in a production starring Marlo Thomas.[15]

Redford's appearance in the play would later help him be cast in Barefoot in the Park. It also contributed to George Roy Hill casting him in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid because it gave Hill confidence Redford could handle comedy.[16]

See also

References
  1. Sunday in New York original production Playbill at Playbill
  2. Film, 'The Holiday,' Gets a Stellar Cast HEDDA HOPPER'S STAFF. Chicago Daily Tribune (16 Nov 1960: b
  3. ROMANTIC COMEDY PLANNED FOR FALL: 'Sunday in New York' Will Be Staged by Kanin By SAM ZOLOTOW. New York Times ]17 Apr 1961: 36.
  4. TV Ace With 20th; Vallee Goes Legit: Movies for Children Listed; Debbie May Play Ruth Roland Scheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times 12 May 1961: A11.
  5. Looking at Hollywood: Carroll Baker Set for Broadway Hopper, Hedda. Chicago Daily Tribune 22 May 1961: b11.
  6. COMEDY LEAD EYED BY CARROLL BAKER: Play by Kanin May Return Movie Star to Broadway By SAM ZOLOTOW. New York Times 28 Aug 1961: 20.
  7. Kiernan p 113
  8. Callan p 88
  9. Callan p 89
  10. Spada, James (1978). The films of Robert Redford. The Citadel Press. pp. 25, 72.
  11. Looking at Hollywood: Lucille Ball to Be Wed Sunday to Gary Morton Hopper, Hedda. Chicago Daily Tribune 14 Nov 1961: b7.
  12. Theatre: Play by Krasna: Sunday in New York' Opens at the Cort By HOWARD TAUBMAN. New York Times 30 Nov 1961: 40.
  13. Echoes and Unspoken Ideas By Walter Kerr. The Washington Post, Times Herald 17 Dec 1961: G3.
  14. 2 SHOWS PLANNED BY BLOOM GARDEN: ' 1,000,000 Bank Note' and 'How Much?' Due in '63 ANTA Has New Project Three Attractions to Close Eva Gabor Starts a Firm Bouwerie Lane to Open in Fall Merrick Negotiates By SAM ZOLOTOW. New York Times 9 May 1962: 45.
  15. 'Sunday' Popular Los Angeles Times 4 June 1963: C6.
  16. Spada p 112

Notes
  • Callan, Michael Feeney (2011). Robert Redford : the biography. Alfred A. Knopf.
  • Freedland, Michael (1988). Jane Fonda : a biography. St. Martin's Press.
  • Kiernan, Thomas (1982). Jane Fonda : heroine for our time. Delilah Books.
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