- Summer and Smoke
"Summer and Smoke" is a 1948 play by
Tennessee Williams , originally entitled "Chart of Anatomy" when Williams began work on it in 1945. In 1964, Williams revised the play as "The Eccentricities of a Nightingale".The play tells the story of a lonely, unmarried minister's daughter (Alma Winemiller) who is courted by her childhood love, a wild, undisciplined doctor (Dr. John Buchanan, Jr.).
tage Performances
Broadway
"Summer and Smoke" received its first performance at the
Music Box Theatre ,New York City , on6 October ,1948 in a production staged byMargo Jones and designed byJo Mielziner with Tod Andrews, Margaret Phillips, Monica Boyar andAnne Jackson . The play ran for 102 performances.In 1952,
Geraldine Page played the lead role in a production byJosé Quintero at theCircle in the Square Theatre .The play was revived in 1996 at the Criterion Center Stage Right, in a production directed by David Warren, with
Harry Hamlin andMary McDonnell .West End
London had to wait nearly sixty years for the premiere of "Summer and Smoke". It opened at the
Apollo Theatre on17 October 2006 . The production, directed byAdrian Noble and starringRosamund Pike andChris Carmack first opened at theNottingham Playhouse in September, prior to its London transfer. It closed ten weeks short of its planned sixteen week run due to disappointing ticket sales.Other revivals
In January 2007, the
Paper Mill Playhouse presented a revival starringAmanda Plummer and Kevin Anderson, directed by Michael Wilson.Film Adaptation
The play was made into a 1961 film starring
Laurence Harvey andGeraldine Page withRita Moreno ,Una Merkel ,John McIntire ,Thomas Gomez ,Pamela Tiffin ,Malcolm Atterbury ,Lee Patrick andEarl Holliman . It was adapted byJames Poe andMeade Roberts and directed byPeter Glenville .A filmed Broadway version of "Summer and Smoke" called "Eccentricities of a Nightingale" was filmed in the 70's on the Broadway stage with
Blythe Danner as the lead and with a script Williams himself revised.The film was nominated for
Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Geraldine Page), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Una Merkel), Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture.Television Adaptation
A
television version was produced in 1972. It starredLee Remick ,David Hedison , andBarry Morse . Another production, called "Eccentricities of a Nightingale", appeared on television in 1976. This version starredBlythe Danner andFrank Langella .
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