176:– A strong woman through and through, Eugene and Stanley's mother has done her best to take care of her father, Ben, while raising her boys and keeping a wary eye on her husband. She values family, and familial experiences – such as the simple act of sitting down and eating together as a family. She knows her boys are grown men, but will never not see them as her babies – when Eugene becomes ill during Act II, she admonishes him as a child for not being in bed when the radio show begins, among other examples. Before the start of the play, she is already aware of her husband's indiscretions, and is the one to confront him over them – however, she stands her ground and does not falter when Jack admits his guilt.
182:– The father to Eugene and Stanley, he's a tough nut for certain. Having worked as a clothier for many years, making ladies raincoats, he's become a bit numb to the monotony of life. This in turn, before the play's start, lead him to having a brief affair, on again and off again. Like Ben, he is not an affectionate man, masked by his exhaustion and his own self-provided frustrations. He becomes outraged when the radio program his sons wrote turns out to sound eerily similar to their own family situation, and quickly admonishes them before being put back into place by Stanley for his own affairs. He leaves Kate at the end of the play.
158:– The play's narrator and the focal character of the Eugene trilogy. Carefree, witty to a fault, and quick to joke, he is 23 years old and working in the stock room of a music company before his brother and writing partner, Stanley, helps them both to break into the world of showbiz. While he maintains his affable and seemingly care-free nature, Eugene cares deeply about everyone in his family, especially for his parents – on whom he bases the ridiculous characters of his first big comedy sketch. Neil Simon wrote Eugene as his own self, the playwright's semi-autobiographical analogue in the work.
188:– Kate's (now) well-to-do sister, who featured more heavily in 'Brighton Beach Memoirs'. She has remarried, and her second husband built himself up to afford a home on Park Avenue and the finer things in life. Ben is at odds with Blanche when she comes to visit in Act I – she wants him to move to Florida with his semi-estranged wife, who he avoids speaking with. He, on the other hand, can only focus on Blanche's giving in to capitalist society. She ultimately serves as the beginning framework, in her conversations with Ben, where we learn of the real situation between Jack and Kate.
638:
170:– Father of Kate, grandfather to Stanley and Eugene. A born socialist and ardent follower of Trotsky, he lives with his daughter and her family in Brighton Beach. Stan and Eugene find Grandpa, in his age, to be one of their greatest goldmines for accidental comedy, with Eugene going so far as to say to the audience that "he was the greatest teacher of comedy I ever had...and he didn't even know I was studying him." He cares deeply for his daughters and their families, but due to his upbringing and beliefs is not an affectionate man.
164:– Eugene's older brother. At 28 years old, he is neurotic, high-strung, and constantly obsessing and worrying over the details. He brokers the first opportunity for him and his brother to show their material to CBS Studios and co-writes the sketch with his brother; the two constantly bicker and play as they attempt to write their first big comedy sketch. Later, it is Stanley who stands up to Jack in their iconic argument in Act II.
142:
When Eugene and
Stanley find a job where they can write short comedic skits for the radio, they obscurely make fun of their own family. Jack can hear the similarities between the fictional family in the broadcast and their own family, and becomes outraged. He gets into a major argument with Stanley,
138:
The play is about Eugene and his older brother, Stanley, dealing with their parents' relationship falling apart as the brothers work together toward being comedy writers for the radio, and, eventually, television. They discover that their father, Jack, has been cheating on their mother, Kate. It is
146:
Eventually, Jack leaves. Stanley and Eugene move out when they get the great offers for which they'd hoped. Kate remains in the house with her father, Ben (an elderly Jewish man with socialist leanings who provides the play with most of its warmth and humor), until Ben goes to follow his wife to
250:
nominations, including Best Play, Linda Lavin (Lead
Actress, Play), Phyllis Newman (Featured Actress, Play), and John Randolph (Featured Actor, Play). Linda Lavin won as Best Actress in a Play and John Randolph won as Best Featured Actor in a Play. It received four nominations for the
373:
contains some of its author's most accomplished writing to date – passages that dramatize the timeless, unresolvable bloodlettings of familial existence as well as the humorous conflicts one expects. But the seamless merging of laughter, character and emotion that ignited
559:
349:
480:
541:
464:
139:
obvious to the family before Jack even admits it, and they try to find ways for Kate to cope with the loss when Jack may eventually leave. Jack reveals that the woman he has been seeing is dying.
575:
382:
isn't funny or moving but just reportorial and expository, with plot twists and thematic invocations piling up undigested, like the heavier courses at an attenuated
Passover seder."
143:
which turns into an argument about Jack's affair. Later, Kate holds a nostalgic conversation with Eugene, revealing how she had tried to win his father's heart when she was younger.
511:
528:
200:'s Reynolds Theater on October 6, 1986. Simon has indicated that the smaller premiere venue took pressure off trying to please the critics.
620:
401:
1111:
508:
568:
433:
665:
1258:
606:
1023:
1207:
1263:
1243:
1031:
1007:
1191:
1143:
1047:
1039:
745:
1253:
1215:
948:
448:
1095:
991:
956:
964:
865:
729:
601:
417:
793:
1103:
897:
658:
1248:
1079:
889:
1175:
817:
761:
713:
554:
297:
275:
120:
65:
398:
1268:
1167:
1135:
999:
905:
809:
705:
317:
17:
737:
697:
345:
8:
1238:
1183:
1151:
1071:
932:
873:
689:
651:
270:
211:
on
December 4, 1986 and closed on September 25, 1988 after 756 performances. Produced by
637:
1087:
1015:
785:
365:
341:
284:
224:
208:
1199:
1119:
913:
769:
753:
632:
564:
378:
is only intermittently achieved here. There are stretches, especially in Act I, when
1159:
1063:
881:
777:
301:
closed on
November 1, 2009 due to weak ticket sales and the planned production of
252:
212:
204:
1055:
857:
849:
515:
405:
236:
228:
197:
594:
350:
Primetime Emmy Award for
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
1127:
613:
280:
259:
232:
115:
107:
56:
1232:
983:
940:
841:
329:
292:
288:
104:
560:
The
Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present
825:
801:
337:
266:
126:
72:
721:
333:
321:
240:
220:
626:
674:
360:
325:
247:
111:
36:
495:
216:
243:
took over the role of Kate for the play's final months on
Broadway.
16:
This article is about the play. For the film based on the play, see
90:
643:
269:, was scheduled to open in November 2009 (previews) at the
295:
as Eugene Jerome and Allan Miller as Ben. However,
287:as Jack Jerome, Santino Fontana as Stanley Jerome,
1230:
547:
408:theaterstudies.duke.edu, accessed April 10, 2012
509:"Broadway's Neil Simon Plays Will Close Nov. 1"
481:" 'Les Miserables' And 'Fences' Win Top Tonys"
906:Oscar and Felix: A New Look at the Odd Couple
659:
420:by Judith Michaelson of the Los Angeles Times
553:
531:movies.nytimes.com, accessed April 10, 2012
666:
652:
636:
563:(9 ed.). New York: Ballantine Books.
318:adapted into a television movie in 1992
1231:
428:
426:
647:
498:pulitzer.org, accessed April 10, 2012
235:as Blanche, John Randolph as Ben and
191:
434:"Theater: Simon's 'Broadway Bound' "
258:It also was a 1987 finalist for the
423:
255:, with Lavin and Randolph winning.
13:
465:"2 Musicals Lead Tony Nominations"
308:
14:
1280:
588:
544:sun-sentinel.com, March 23, 1992
470:(abstract), May 12, 1987, p. C15
265:A Broadway revival, directed by
133:
114:. It is the last chapter in his
534:
324:with the screenplay written by
279:. The announced cast included
673:
521:
518:playbill.com, October 31, 2009
501:
489:
473:
457:
454:(abstract), September 20, 1988
442:
411:
392:
1:
1040:The Prisoner of Second Avenue
746:The Prisoner of Second Avenue
579:Retrieved August 4, 2024.
496:"Drama Winners and Finalists"
385:
150:
608:Broadway Bound
596:Broadway Bound
355:
348:(Eugene). Cronyn won a 1992
273:, running in repertory with
7:
449:"'Broadway Bound' to Close"
320:. The film was directed by
10:
1285:
1259:Plays set in New York City
1208:Laughter on the 23rd Floor
1024:Last of the Red Hot Lovers
866:Laughter on the 23rd Floor
730:Last of the Red Hot Lovers
610:(1986 original production)
602:Internet Broadway Database
598:(1986 original production)
542:"Simon`s Play Is Tv Bound"
399:"Theater Previews History"
352:for his role in the film.
15:
1112:I Ought to Be in Pictures
975:
924:
794:I Ought to Be in Pictures
681:
514:November 3, 2009, at the
418:1990 interview with Simon
86:
50:
42:
32:
27:
957:They're Playing Our Song
898:45 Seconds from Broadway
486:(abstract), June 8, 1987
557:; Marsh, Earle (2007).
246:The play received four
1264:Plays set in the 1940s
1244:Autobiographical plays
1144:Brighton Beach Memoirs
818:Brighton Beach Memoirs
714:The Star-Spangled Girl
529:Broadway Bound (1992)"
298:Brighton Beach Memoirs
276:Brighton Beach Memoirs
196:The play premiered at
121:Brighton Beach Memoirs
66:Brighton Beach Memoirs
810:The Female Odd Couple
628:1992 television movie
18:Broadway Bound (film)
1096:Seems Like Old Times
992:Barefoot in the Park
738:The Gingerbread Lady
698:Barefoot in the Park
404:May 6, 2012, at the
363:, in his review for
156:Eugene Morris Jerome
1254:Plays by Neil Simon
1072:The Cheap Detective
690:Come Blow Your Horn
328:. The cast starred
271:Nederlander Theatre
219:, the cast starred
203:The play opened on
1136:The Slugger's Wife
1032:The Heartbreak Kid
1008:The Out-of-Towners
949:Promises, Promises
484:The New York Times
468:The New York Times
452:The New York Times
439:, December 5, 1986
437:The New York Times
366:The New York Times
342:Jonathan Silverman
285:Dennis Boutsikaris
225:Jonathan Silverman
209:Broadhurst Theatre
192:Production history
1226:
1225:
1200:The Odd Couple II
1192:The Sunshine Boys
1120:Max Dugan Returns
1104:Only When I Laugh
1048:The Sunshine Boys
754:The Sunshine Boys
570:978-0-345-49773-4
479:Gerard, Jeremy.
96:
95:
1276:
1216:The Goodbye Girl
1160:The Marrying Man
1080:California Suite
1064:The Goodbye Girl
965:The Goodbye Girl
890:The Dinner Party
778:California Suite
668:
661:
654:
645:
644:
640:
582:
580:
574:
551:
545:
538:
532:
527:Erickson, Hal.
525:
519:
505:
499:
493:
487:
477:
471:
463:Blau, Eleanor.
461:
455:
446:
440:
430:
421:
415:
409:
396:
283:as Kate Jerome,
253:Drama Desk Award
215:and directed by
213:Emanuel Azenberg
105:autobiographical
25:
24:
1284:
1283:
1279:
1278:
1277:
1275:
1274:
1273:
1229:
1228:
1227:
1222:
1176:Lost in Yonkers
1056:Murder by Death
971:
920:
850:Lost in Yonkers
762:The Good Doctor
677:
672:
591:
586:
585:
578:
571:
552:
548:
539:
535:
526:
522:
516:Wayback Machine
507:Jones, Kenneth.
506:
502:
494:
490:
478:
474:
462:
458:
447:
443:
431:
424:
416:
412:
406:Wayback Machine
397:
393:
388:
358:
311:
309:Film adaptation
237:Philip Sterling
229:Jason Alexander
198:Duke University
194:
153:
136:
46:October 6, 1986
21:
12:
11:
5:
1282:
1272:
1271:
1266:
1261:
1256:
1251:
1249:Broadway plays
1246:
1241:
1224:
1223:
1221:
1220:
1212:
1204:
1196:
1188:
1180:
1172:
1168:Broadway Bound
1164:
1156:
1148:
1140:
1132:
1128:The Lonely Guy
1124:
1116:
1108:
1100:
1092:
1084:
1076:
1068:
1060:
1052:
1044:
1036:
1028:
1020:
1012:
1004:
1000:The Odd Couple
996:
988:
979:
977:
973:
972:
970:
969:
961:
953:
945:
937:
928:
926:
922:
921:
919:
918:
914:Rose's Dilemma
910:
902:
894:
886:
878:
870:
862:
854:
846:
838:
834:Broadway Bound
830:
822:
814:
806:
798:
790:
782:
774:
770:God's Favorite
766:
758:
750:
742:
734:
726:
718:
710:
706:The Odd Couple
702:
694:
685:
683:
679:
678:
671:
670:
663:
656:
648:
642:
641:
624:
604:
590:
589:External links
587:
584:
583:
569:
546:
533:
520:
500:
488:
472:
456:
441:
422:
410:
390:
389:
387:
384:
380:Broadway Bound
371:Broadway Bound
357:
354:
314:Broadway Bound
310:
307:
305:was canceled.
303:Broadway Bound
281:Laurie Metcalf
260:Pulitzer Prize
233:Phyllis Newman
193:
190:
186:Blanche Morton
162:Stanley Jerome
152:
149:
135:
132:
116:Eugene trilogy
100:Broadway Bound
94:
93:
88:
84:
83:
82:
81:
79:Broadway Bound
76:
69:
57:Eugene Trilogy
52:
48:
47:
44:
43:Date premiered
40:
39:
34:
30:
29:
28:Broadway Bound
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1281:
1270:
1267:
1265:
1262:
1260:
1257:
1255:
1252:
1250:
1247:
1245:
1242:
1240:
1237:
1236:
1234:
1218:
1217:
1213:
1210:
1209:
1205:
1202:
1201:
1197:
1194:
1193:
1189:
1186:
1185:
1181:
1178:
1177:
1173:
1170:
1169:
1165:
1162:
1161:
1157:
1154:
1153:
1149:
1146:
1145:
1141:
1138:
1137:
1133:
1130:
1129:
1125:
1122:
1121:
1117:
1114:
1113:
1109:
1106:
1105:
1101:
1098:
1097:
1093:
1090:
1089:
1085:
1082:
1081:
1077:
1074:
1073:
1069:
1066:
1065:
1061:
1058:
1057:
1053:
1050:
1049:
1045:
1042:
1041:
1037:
1034:
1033:
1029:
1026:
1025:
1021:
1018:
1017:
1013:
1010:
1009:
1005:
1002:
1001:
997:
994:
993:
989:
986:
985:
984:After the Fox
981:
980:
978:
974:
967:
966:
962:
959:
958:
954:
951:
950:
946:
943:
942:
941:Sweet Charity
938:
935:
934:
930:
929:
927:
923:
916:
915:
911:
908:
907:
903:
900:
899:
895:
892:
891:
887:
884:
883:
879:
876:
875:
871:
868:
867:
863:
860:
859:
855:
852:
851:
847:
844:
843:
839:
836:
835:
831:
828:
827:
823:
820:
819:
815:
812:
811:
807:
804:
803:
799:
796:
795:
791:
788:
787:
783:
780:
779:
775:
772:
771:
767:
764:
763:
759:
756:
755:
751:
748:
747:
743:
740:
739:
735:
732:
731:
727:
724:
723:
719:
716:
715:
711:
708:
707:
703:
700:
699:
695:
692:
691:
687:
686:
684:
680:
676:
669:
664:
662:
657:
655:
650:
649:
646:
639:
634:
630:
629:
625:
622:
618:
616:
611:
609:
605:
603:
599:
597:
593:
592:
577:
572:
566:
562:
561:
556:
550:
543:
537:
530:
524:
517:
513:
510:
504:
497:
492:
485:
482:
476:
469:
466:
460:
453:
450:
445:
438:
435:
432:Rich, Frank.
429:
427:
419:
414:
407:
403:
400:
395:
391:
383:
381:
377:
372:
368:
367:
362:
353:
351:
347:
343:
339:
335:
331:
330:Anne Bancroft
327:
323:
319:
315:
306:
304:
300:
299:
294:
293:Josh Grisetti
290:
289:Jessica Hecht
286:
282:
278:
277:
272:
268:
263:
261:
256:
254:
249:
244:
242:
238:
234:
230:
226:
222:
218:
214:
210:
206:
201:
199:
189:
187:
183:
181:
177:
175:
171:
169:
165:
163:
159:
157:
148:
144:
140:
134:Plot overview
131:
129:
128:
123:
122:
117:
113:
109:
106:
102:
101:
92:
89:
85:
80:
77:
75:
74:
70:
68:
67:
63:
62:
61:
60:
58:
53:
49:
45:
41:
38:
35:
31:
26:
23:
19:
1269:Sequel plays
1214:
1206:
1198:
1190:
1184:London Suite
1182:
1174:
1166:
1158:
1152:Biloxi Blues
1150:
1142:
1134:
1126:
1118:
1110:
1102:
1094:
1086:
1078:
1070:
1062:
1054:
1046:
1038:
1030:
1022:
1014:
1006:
998:
990:
982:
963:
955:
947:
939:
931:
912:
904:
896:
888:
880:
874:London Suite
872:
864:
858:Jake's Women
856:
848:
840:
833:
832:
826:Biloxi Blues
824:
816:
808:
800:
792:
784:
776:
768:
760:
752:
744:
736:
728:
720:
712:
704:
696:
688:
627:
614:
607:
595:
576:p. 1661
558:
549:
540:Curry, Pat.
536:
523:
503:
491:
483:
475:
467:
459:
451:
444:
436:
413:
394:
379:
376:Biloxi Blues
375:
370:
364:
359:
346:Corey Parker
338:Jerry Orbach
313:
312:
302:
296:
291:as Blanche,
274:
267:David Cromer
264:
257:
245:
231:as Stanley,
202:
195:
185:
184:
179:
178:
173:
172:
167:
166:
161:
160:
155:
154:
145:
141:
137:
127:Biloxi Blues
125:
119:
118:, following
99:
98:
97:
78:
73:Biloxi Blues
71:
64:
55:
54:
22:
1088:Chapter Two
1016:Plaza Suite
786:Chapter Two
722:Plaza Suite
555:Brooks, Tim
344:(Stan) and
334:Hume Cronyn
322:Paul Bogart
262:for Drama.
241:Joan Rivers
227:as Eugene,
221:Linda Lavin
180:Jack Jerome
174:Kate Jerome
168:Ben Epstein
1239:1986 plays
1233:Categories
675:Neil Simon
386:References
361:Frank Rich
326:Neil Simon
248:Tony Award
239:as Jack.
151:Characters
112:Neil Simon
103:is a semi-
37:Neil Simon
33:Written by
933:Little Me
882:Proposals
369:wrote: "
356:Reception
223:as Kate,
217:Gene Saks
925:Musicals
615:Playbill
512:Archived
402:Archived
340:(Jack),
332:(Kate),
205:Broadway
621:archive
612:at the
600:at the
336:(Ben),
207:at the
147:Miami.
1219:(2004)
1211:(2001)
1203:(1998)
1195:(1996)
1187:(1996)
1179:(1993)
1171:(1992)
1163:(1991)
1155:(1988)
1147:(1986)
1139:(1985)
1131:(1984)
1123:(1983)
1115:(1982)
1107:(1981)
1099:(1980)
1091:(1979)
1083:(1978)
1075:(1978)
1067:(1977)
1059:(1976)
1051:(1975)
1043:(1975)
1035:(1972)
1027:(1972)
1019:(1971)
1011:(1970)
1003:(1968)
995:(1967)
987:(1966)
968:(1993)
960:(1979)
952:(1968)
944:(1966)
936:(1962)
917:(2003)
909:(2002)
901:(2001)
893:(2000)
885:(1997)
877:(1995)
869:(1993)
861:(1992)
853:(1991)
845:(1988)
842:Rumors
837:(1986)
829:(1985)
821:(1983)
813:(1981)
805:(1981)
797:(1980)
789:(1977)
781:(1976)
773:(1974)
765:(1973)
757:(1972)
749:(1971)
741:(1970)
733:(1969)
725:(1968)
717:(1966)
709:(1965)
701:(1963)
693:(1961)
635:
567:
91:Comedy
51:Series
976:Films
802:Fools
682:Plays
617:Vault
87:Genre
633:IMDb
565:ISBN
316:was
124:and
108:play
631:at
110:by
1235::
425:^
130:.
667:e
660:t
653:v
623:)
619:(
581:.
573:.
59::
20:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.