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The First Year (play)

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The First Year
Roberta Arnold and Craven in the play.
Written byFrank Craven
Date premieredOctober 20, 1920 (Broadway)
Original languageEnglish

The First Year is a 1920 American comedic play written by Frank Craven, and produced by John Golden and directed by Winchell Smith on Broadway.[1] It was a hit on Broadway, running for 729 performances.

Background

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The three-act play, which centers on the first year of married life, ran on Broadway at the Little Theatre for 729 performances from Wednesday, October 20, 1920 through June 17, 1922.[2][3][4][5][6] (Prior to opening on Broadway, a warm-up performance was put on at the Apollo Theater in Atlantic City, New Jersey on October 7, 1920.[7][8][9])

It was the biggest Broadway show of the season, and when it finally closed, it was the third-longest run in Broadway history to that time.[10] It received positive reviews upon its release.[11][12][13][14][15][16] Critic Alexander Woollcott even called it "one of the best, if not the best [comedy], ever written by an American."[15]

After closing in New York, the company went on tour.[5][17]

A London production was mounted in 1926-27, which opened at the Apollo Theatre on November 26, 1926, and moved to the Prince of Wales Theatre on March 27, 1927, with a total run of 180 performances.[18]

The Equity Library Theatre staged a revival in New York in 1947.[19]

Film adaptations

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It was adapted to films of the same name in 1926 and 1932.

Original Broadway cast

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  • Roberta Arnold as Grace Livingston
  • William Sampson as Mr. Livingston
  • Maude Granger as Mrs. Livingston
  • Tim Murphy as Dr. Anderson
  • Lyster Chambers as Dick Loring
  • Frank Craven as Thomas Tucker
  • Leila Bennett as Hattie
  • Hale Norcross as Mr. Barstow
  • Merceita Esmonde as Mrs. Barstow[2]

References

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  1. ^ Underhill, Harriette (February 1921). Writing "The First Year", Shadowland
  2. ^ a b (21 October 1922). The First Year Is Joyous, The New York Times
  3. ^ (18 June 1922). Advertisement, New York Herald (advertisement for 722-729th performances)
  4. ^ (7 June 1922). "The First Year" Closing, New York Clipper
  5. ^ a b (21 June 1922). "The First Year" Closes, New York Clipper
  6. ^ Fisher, James and Felicia Hardison Londre. Historical Dictionary of American Theater: Modernism, p. 237 (2d ed. 2018)
  7. ^ (8 October 1920). The Stage Door, New-York Tribune, p. 8, col. 3.
  8. ^ (10 October 1920). New Productions Open Out of Town, Ready for Showing on Broadway, New-York Tribune, p. 11, col. 1.
  9. ^ (11 October 1920). The Stage Door, p. 6, col. 3 (the prior day's Tribune said no New York debut date had yet been set; today, an October 20 opening at the Little Theatre is reported)
  10. ^ Bordman, Gerald and Thomas S. Hischak. The Concise Oxford Companion to American Theatre, pp. 228-29 (3d ed. 2004)
  11. ^ (21 October 1920). "The First Year" Equals "Lightnin'" In Dramatic Value, New-York Tribune, p. 8 col. 3
  12. ^ (21 October 1920). "The First Year" Gives Its Audience Night of Laughter, New York Herald, p. 11, col. 6.
  13. ^ Broun, Heywood (24 October 1920). As We Were Saying, New York Tribune
  14. ^ Broun, Heywood (20 November 1920). On the New York Stage, Collier's, p. 16.
  15. ^ a b Woollcott, Alexander (February 1921). An Emergency Masterpiece, Everybody's Magazine, pp. 54-55
  16. ^ Mantle, Burns. The Best Plays of 1920-21, pp. 63-97 (1921)
  17. ^ Hickman, Walter D. (7 August 1923). Newlyweds Have Matrimonial Measles, Indianapolis Times
  18. ^ Wearing, J.P. The London Stage 1920-1929, p. 480 (2d ed. 2014)
  19. ^ Library Theater, Billboard (May 10, 1947, p. 47)
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