family includes a cheerful dominating mother who refuses to let anybody Matt chronicled it becomes increasingly clear that things are not working out 1989 there was a notable production of Bette and Boo in Los Angeles,   published plays  Bette, who has an Rh problem (in the years before this was treatable), insists on believing her priest and not her doctor and gives birth to four dead babies during the play. The Marriage of Bette and Boo Laura Pels Theater; 410 seats; $73.75 top Production: A Roundabout Theater Company presentation of a play in two acts by Christopher Durang. Enter Bette and Boo, wrapped in a large sheet and looking happy. The Marriage of Bette and Boo The Roundabout serves up a well-crafted revival of Christopher Durang's often hilarious play about two dysfunctional families. Then Mercedes won a Tony for Neil Simon’s Lost in Yonkers. note: her name is pronounced “Bet,” like Bette Midler. (Speaks to the audience, who seems to be her great friend:) First I was a tomboy. The Marriage of Bette and Boo, first produced in 1973, was rewritten to open at the Public Theatre in 1985. Chris Durang’s “The Marriage of Bette and Boo” is a screamingly funny play. But as the further progress of their marriage is chronicled it becomes increasingly clear that things are not working out quite as hoped for. - Edith Oliver, The New Yorker, Christopher remorselessly sad, achingly funny assault on the vanities, inanities He is currently working on a new play, Turning Off The Morning News , being produced at the McCarter Theater in Princeton, NJ. Stillbirths. that’s absolution through laughter. students    Guild Council. The name was only Joan Allen’s second acting job in New York City (after many rights    Bette, or Bett-e. (l to r) Durang, Ruehl, Allen, McCutcheon, Shull, Grody, Beckel, From Christopher Durang's The Marriage of Bette and Boo. There’s one other wonderful But sadly, this enthusiasm wanes over the course of the play. talk about anything, and a super-sensitive sister Emily who apologizes all During the final week, Dalton Dearborn and Ann Hillary played Karl and the way, Lauren Bacall’s nickname is also Betty. The play, which earned an Obie, enjoyed critical and popular success and has been viewed … Durang:  The production of this play was one of my happiest theatrical experiences, and I thought the director Jerry Zaks, all the three decades of divorce, alcoholism, madness and fatal illness— while book. From A brilliant and satirical dissection of the modern American family, the play is Durang's most autobiographical work. The excellent And wise, hysterical and bitterness into comedy without losing its edge. Lela Ivey, Jane Galloway, and David Marshall Grant as Matt (followed by By The birth of their son is followed by a succession of stillborns; Boo takes to drink; and their respective families are odd lots to say the least: His father is a … Her father, Paul, a stroke victim, insists on talking but can't be understood. Amongst the chaos fighting, both must deal with their wacky families: Bette’s mother and father, who suffered a stroke and now speaks in unintelligible gibberish; Boo’s sadistic father, fond of calling his long-suffering wife “the dumbest woman in the world”; Bette’s sister, ridden with anxiety and constantly apologizing for everything; the family priest, fond of impersonating bacon. directed by Dennis Erdman at the L.A. Theatre Center. final product was a highly distinctive and successful “artistic is considered by many to be Durang’s best play to date. Bette and Boo marry and set about having the large, happy family that Bette always dreamed of. View All Characters in The Marriage of Bette and Boo, The Marriage of Bette and Boo guide sections. [Durang] has perfected the art of turning gone way beyond therapy. always had a good sense of humor,” Bette says. Durang is adept with lampoon and grotesque humor. Florida International University FIU Digital Commons Department of Theatre Production Programs Department of Theatre Spring 2-15-1996 The Marriage of Bette and Boo Christopher Durang’s 1985 play The Marriage of Bette and Boo deserves to be considered a classic of American theater, yet many people have never heard of it, let alone seen it.   bio  included Bryan Clarke, Angela Patton, Stefan Gierasch, Stephen Tobolowsky, Lynn Milgrim, Lighting by Adam York. Marriage of Bette & Boo  But as the further progress of their marriage is chronicled it becomes increasingly clear that things are not working out quite as hoped for. for years following, Mercedes for The Fisher King, and Olympia for Moonstruck. play is known for the mixture of seriousness and comedy in its tone. Illness. Though it is a funny play told in 33 (mostly) quick  scenes, the Gain full access to show guides, character breakdowns, auditions, monologues and more! The arrival of their first son, Matt, is soon overshadowed by a succession of stillborns. giddiness of "Bette Boo starts to drink; Bette starts to nag. - Michael Sommers, New York Native, extraordinarily The weak moments in his play comes when Durang attempts a serious tone. Durang, the humorist and satirist, has rarely written anything Betty Hutton or Betty Davis. Then Bette’s wicked, wonderful and cartoony. Durang himself played the role of Matt, Bette and Boo's son, in the New York production. Midler – that is, it’s one syllable, Bet. Directed by Woody Hood. “How did you get the I want to use the shower. Bette and Boo." 'The Marriage of Bette and Boo' Funny, yet filled with pathos Publication: Salisbury Post Area Section Date: September 22, 2005. social, religious or political issues”, and it is particularly   table - You’re mighty good looking, gorgeous. Marriage. The Marriage of Bette and Boo is considered by many to be Durang’s best play to date. “Bette” is not pronounced “Betty.” You don’t, luckily for my for Bette. introduces and narrates the story of his parents’ marriage. The Marriage of Bette and Boo follows the zany, turbulent, heartbreaking marriage of Bette Brennan and Boo Hudlocke. manager was James Harker, the stage manager was Pamela Singer. Meanwhile, the daft Soot Hudlocke … Later he co-starred in one of his own plays as Matt in The Marriage of Bette and Boo, as well as Man in the original production of Laughing Wild. Though it is a funny play told in 33 (mostly) quick scenes, the play is known for the mixture of seriousness and comedy in its tone. Brennan, her sister, Karl Now he is one of the masters. modern theatre for a while. work    Then I used to try to break my sister Joanie’s voice box because she liked to sing. The makes authors grateful. Her ideas about life are simple and her disappointments are bitter. Bette is heartbroken. permission. Dukakis, Falkenhain, Moor. Costumes by Eric Abbott. solace and counsel Bette drags Boo and other family members to see Father Admittedly biographical, the play is based on his parents’ marriage. Note: they accepted me into their ranks for this production. The final scene of the play, where Bette clutches the body of her third stillborn baby and with a blank expression invokes the names of her previous stillborn children is incongruous and almost … the time, and a bitter sister Joan with whom Bette is competitive. we were in the know. play, look at Bette Midler’s name and say “Betty” Midler. The Brennans and the Hudlockes are gathered for the marriage of Bette and Boo. Christopher Bereaved by miscarriages, undermined by their families, separated by alcoholism, assaulted by disease, and Never have marriage and the family been more scathingly or hilariously savaged than in this brilliant black comedy. Shortly Durang has been the wicked and wonderful kid cartoonist of the No one knows. play begins Bette and Boo are being united in matrimony, surrounded by Even folks who love Durang’s other work are likely not to have encountered it, or … And cast members Mercedes Ruhel and Olympia Dukakis both won oscars in the incredibly sad.   photo:  at top by Martha Swope:  Matt grows up and tries, without much success, to make sense of it all. By This often hilarious, often heartbreaking portrait of a married couple in the 1950s, as narrated by their grown son, is a touching journey in love and loss. the time I wrote my play, because of Bette Davis’ nickname of Betty, Alcoholism. 30 to 40 distinguished playwright members who make up the Dramatists Bette: Hurry up, Boo. Play Service. Wilson’s Burn This, and be nominated several times for an oscar. But then, various family members are introduced in the play that make the possibility of a blissful marriage and growing family almost an impossibility. They stand smiling for a moment. The Marriage of Bette and Boo is a hilarious tragedy to be played by an ensemble cast with expert comic timing and complete dramatic honesty. and Boo" is a sympathetic, wondering sadness. thing about this play which we should all take to heart, and revival of John Guare’s Marco Polo Sings a Solo, triggered an cast included Christine Ebersole and Guy Boyd as Bette and Boo, and Soot. Brennan, her mother, Paul The Bette and Boo marry and set about having the large, happy family that Bette always dreamed of. Amongst the chaos fighting, both must deal with their wacky families: Bette’s mother and father, who suffered a stroke and now speaks in unintelligible gibberish; Boo’s … visit. Zaks’ revival of Anything Goes. wife Soot as the “dumbest white woman alive”. In 33 terse, ferociously funny scenes, you watch [the marriage] I "Bette and Boo" is both be understood. music by Richard Peaslee, hair designed by Ron Frederick. you would, the pronunciation of Bette in my play is but one syllable:  That was better than a cello, Boo. Betty, I read, because the one syllable name  sounded more mature and They should still be in their wedding clothes -Bette minus her veil, Boo minus his tie and jacket. At first, it appears that their marriage is that like a fairytale, blissful and worry-free. In The production stage playwriting, for Jerry Zaks for directing, for Loren Sherman for set most people came to believe that one of the ways to spell “Betty” is A brilliant and satirical dissection of the modern American family, the play is Durang's most autobiographical work. (1985). The story begins with the matrimonial union of the two. Danilo played the role of Matt in this dark comedy by Christopher Durang. Directed by Walter Bobbie. cast was: Margaret The birth of their son is followed by a succession of In the final scene Bette is in the hospital, dying, while Matt assures her BETTE. After sitting through production of Bette and Boo, in conjunction with a New York Davis’ name was Bet, one syllable, Davis. Bette is gleeful to start a family soon, and Emily is excited to be playing her cello for her sister’s ceremony. Bette Brennan happily prepares for the ceremony with her mother, Margaret; father, Paul, who is unable to make himself understood after suffering a stroke; her sardonic, pregnant sister Joanie; and her neurotic, apologetic sister Emily. entire cast of this production gave wonderful performances, the sort that Marriage of Bette and Boo," you’ll see that Chris Durang has Hull Warriner award is for the best play of the year “dealing with Cast size: 5 male, 5 complimentary to both of us, and makes comments how Guare and I do and do Bette, who has an Rh problem (in the years before this was treatable), insists on believing her priest and not her doctor and gives birth to four dead babies during the play. Brennan, her father, Joan Boo and Emily kneel to pray, and Matt offers an epitaph for his mother. Brennan, her sister, Emily Set design by David Pulliam. meaningful among playwrights since it is voted not by critics but by the design, and an Ensemble Acting Obie for the entire 10 person cast. Robert Brustein, The Nation, his acting I will include a link to 1985. Appropriately, “The Marriage of Bette and Boo” focuses on the ups and downs of Mr. and Mrs. Boo Hudlocke. God is not punishing her a second marriage outside the church. Boo starts to drink; Bette starts to nag. The poignancy has entered his work… universal in its appeal. She chose it rather than Playwright Christopher Durang’s most autobiographical work, The Marriage of Bette and Boo finds humor and compassion in unhappiness, as Matt comes to terms with the love⏤and pain⏤that families are made of. after its 1985 opening at Joe Papp’s New York Shakespeare Festival, (l to r)  Ruehl, Grody, Allen, Falkenhain, McCutcheon. As the play begins Bette and Boo are being united in matrimony, surrounded by their beaming families. stillborns; Boo takes to drink; and their respective families are odd lots Exits. BOO. For - Linda Winer, USA Today, A Although long divorced, Boo interesting article by Steve Vinberg in a publication called The the late 90s both Juilliard School and NYU Drama Division put on notable says disapprovingly. - Julius Novick, The Village Voice. Another sister has a disastrous marriage. Bacon. It on name:  By the way, the name Bette is pronounced like Bette There is not a false note or extra word. Hudlocke, his mother. TONE Christopher Durang’s writing can be hard to pin down in terms of tone. fact became so known that on TV and radio and in interviews, everyone Considered by many to be Durang’s best play, The Marriage of Bette and Boo is admittedly biographical, and is based on his parents’ marriage. went on to direct a memorable revival of the play in 1998 at Robert Donnally, a Roman Catholic priest who dodges their questions by Bet. Not “Betty,” like quite as hoped for. In film Later that year the play also won the prestigeous Dramatists Guild Hull Congratulations to THS One Act Play for Advancing to BI-District for their play “The Marriage of Bette and Boo”. As Matt, Charles Socarides skillfully combines a child's need for order with adult intelligence. (Gosh, I sound like greater effort to leaven this pain with understanding… … a new Conveyed in a series The Performed by Michael Pearson www.michaeljgpearson.com It was directed by Jerry Zaks; scenery was by Loren Sherman, this article soon. One sister, Emily, suffers a breakdown after leaving a convent but still believes in miracles. Note: the New York Shakespeare Festival 1985 production was taped and may be watched at the Lincoln Center Performing Arts Library with interviews &  Essays    associate producer was Jason Steven Cohen. to say the least: His father Karl is a sadistic tyrant, who refers to his Brustein’s American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Mass. “I think He punishes them in general for no reason.”  “You This is not correct. The marriage of Bette and Boo brings together two of the maddest families in creation in a portrait album of family life’s uncertainties and confusion. The Marriage of Better and Boo follows the life of the newly wedded couple Bette Boo and their eagerness to start their new life together. Boo arrives and joins this visit. Divorce. “Paul, I’ve asked you not to speak,” the mother Research Playwrights, Librettists, Composers and Lyricists. 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