The Freaking Out of Stephanie Blake

The Freaking Out of Stephanie Blake is a 1967 stage comedy which starred Jean Arthur and was produced by Cheryl Crawford. The play was written by Richard Chandler, who was Crawford's assistant.[1] Although it ran in previews on Broadway, the play never officially opened.

The Freaking Out of Stephanie Blake
Written byRichard Chandler
Date premiered1967
Place premieredEugene O'Neill Theatre, New York
Original languageEnglish
GenreComedy

History

It was announced that Jean Arthur would appear on Broadway in the comedy The Freaking Out of Stephanie Blake in October 1967.[1]

It was a famous disaster. Director John Hancock quit during rehearsals after an argument with Chandler and was replaced by Crawford, and then Michael Kahn. Previews, which had been scheduled to begin on October 10, 1967, at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, were postponed, with the opening set for October 30.[2] Jean Arthur (who had $50,000 of her own money in the production) collapsed during previews.[3] The show was then scheduled to open on November 4, 1967, when it was announced that Arthur "had taken ill", and Crawford said "it was 'possible that the whole thing will have to be abandoned'".[4] It cost an estimated $250,000.[5]

The story of the production was profiled in William Goldman's The Season: A Candid Look at Broadway.[6]

It was one of a series of plays that season which dealt with the generation gap.[7]

Plot

A spinster from Ohio comes to New York before embarking on a trip to Europe. She discovers her niece has fallen with a bunch of hippies and becomes involved with them.

References
  1. Zolotow, Sam. "Jean Arthur Due On Stage In Fall: Actress Last Seen Here in 1950 to Do Comedy Role", The New York Times May 9, 1967, p 53
  2. "John Hancock Leaves Play". The New York Times. October 11, 1967. p. 42.
  3. "NEWS Briefs: National". Chicago Tribune. Nov 4, 1967. p. 3.
  4. Barranger, Milly S. "Stephanie Blake" A Gambler's Instinct: The Story of Broadway Producer Cheryl Crawford, SIU Press, 2010, p 180, accessed June 15, 2013
  5. "Illness of Jean Arthur Cancels Tonight's 'Stephanie' Premiere". The New York Times. November 4, 1967. p. 37.
  6. Goldman, William. The Season The Season, books.google.com, Hal Leonard Corp., 1969, ISBN 0879100230, pp 174-175, 177-179,181-182
  7. LEWIS FUNKE (Oct 8, 1967). "The Generations War on Broadway: The Generations War on Broadway". New York Times. p. X1.
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