Clifford Odets "AWAKE and SING" Stella Adler / Elia Kazan 1935 Broadway Playbill

Description

This is a rare July 22nd, 1935 playbill from the Original Broadway production of the CLIFFORD ODETS play "AWAKE and SING!" performed in repertory with CLIFFORD ODETS' first produced play "WAITING FOR LEFTY" at the Belasco Theatre in New York City. (The Group Theatre production of "Awake and Sing!" opened February 9th, 1935 and ran for 184 performances before taking a summer hiatus in July of 1935. The production returned September 9th, 1935 to the Belasco for 24 additional performances.) .....
Awake and Sing!
is generally regarded as Odets's masterpiece. It has been cited as ″the earliest quintessential Jewish play outside the Yiddish theatre."
The play concerns the Berger family, living in the Bronx under the shadow of economic collapse. Odets's choice of opening the play
in medias res
, his dialogue style, and the fact that it was the first play on Broadway to focus entirely on a Jewish family, distinguish
Awake and Sing!
from other full-length plays of its time.
The cast of
Awake and Sing!
included ART SMITH, STELLA ADLER, MORRIS CARNOVSKY, PHOEBE BRAND, JULES GARFIELD, ROMAN BOHNEN, LUTHER ADLER, J. E. BROMBERG, SANFORD MEISNER and TOOTSIE MILLER. The cast of
Waiting for Lefty
included RUSSELL COLLINS, LEWIS LEVERETT, RUTH NELSON, TONY KRABER, RUSSELL COLLINS, WALTER COY, PAULA MILLER, HERBERT RATNER, WILLIAM CHALLEE, ELIA KAZAN, ART SMITH, SANFORD MEISNER, ROMAN BOHNEN, CLIFFORD ODETS and JULES GARFIELD ..... CREDITS: (
Awake and Sing!)
Book by CLIFFORD ODETS; Sets designed by BORIS ARONSON; Directed by HAROLD CLURMAN; Produced by THE GROUP THEATRE, INC.; (
Waiting for Lefty)
Book by CLIFFORD ODETS; Sets designed by ALEXANDER CHERTOFF; Directed by CLIFFORD ODETS and SANFORD MEISNER; Produced by THE GROUP THEATRE, INC. ..... DETAILS: The twenty page playbill measures 6 3/4" X 9 1/4" inches and includes full production credits, cast lists, synopsis of scenes, a brief history of
Waiting for Lefty,
a bio of CLIFFORD ODETS and wonderful vintage advertising, but no cast photos ..... CONDITION: With the exception of light creasing to several pages and moderate edge wear, this playbill is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.