- I'm Not Rappaport
Infobox Play
name = I'm Not Rappaport
image_size =
caption =
writer =Herb Gardner
characters = Nat
Midge
Gilley
Danforth
Laurie
Clara
The Cowboy
setting = A park bench in Central Park; October 1982
premiere = 1984
place =Seattle Repertory Theatre Seattle, Washington
orig_lang = English
subject =
genre = Comedy
web =
playbill =
ibdb_id = 4623"I'm Not Rappaport" is a play by
Herb Gardner originally staged bySeattle Repertory Theatre in 1984. Its Broadway debut production, directed by Daniel Sullivan, starringJudd Hirsch ,Cleavon Little ,Jace Alexander , andMercedes Ruehl , opened onNovember 19 ,1985 at theBooth Theatre , where it ran for 891 performances. The production received Tony Awards for Best Play, Best Lighting design, and for Hirsch's performance, Best Actor.In 2002 after fifteen previews, a revival re-opened at the Booth on 25 July, where it ran for an additional 53 performances. Again directed by Sullivan, Hirsch reprised his role and was joined by
Ben Vereen .Plot synopsis
Inspired by two elderly men Gardner met in
New York City 'sCentral Park , the play focuses on Nat Moyer, a cantankerousJew , and Midge Carter, a feistyAfrican-American , who spend their days sitting on a bench. The both mask the realities of aging, sharing tall tales that Nat spins. The play touches on several issues, including society’s treatment of the aging, the difficulties dealing with adult children who think they know what's best for their parents, and the dangers that lurk in urban areas.Its title comes from an old
vaudeville joke, a variation of which evolved into dialogue between the twoprotagonists :
*Nat: Hey, Rappaport! I haven't seen you in ages. How have you been?
*Midge: I'm not Rappaport.
*Nat: Rappaport, what happened to you? You used to be a short fat guy, and now you're a tall skinny guy.
*Midge: I'm not Rappaport.
*Nat: Rappaport, you used to be a young guy with a beard, and now you're an old guy with a mustache.
*Midge: I'm not Rappaport.
*Nat: Rappaport, how has this happened? You used to be a cowardly little white guy, and now you're a big imposing black guy.
*Midge: I'm not Rappaport.
*Nat: And you changed your name, too!Film adaptation
The 1996 film version, written and directed by Gardner, starred
Walter Matthau ,Ossie Davis ,Amy Irving ,Craig T. Nelson ,Martha Plimpton ,Peter Friedman , andRon Rifkin .Awards and nominations
;Awards
* Tony Award for Best PlayReferences
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External links
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