Shows & Tickets
Hilarious Drawing Room Comedy Exemplifies Social Proprieties and Barely Repressed Desires Between Two Fashionable Women at the Turn of the Century
Limited Engagement; Six Weeks Only
January 31 2005 through March 12, 2006; Press Opening Night is February 8, 2006
LOS ANGELES—It’s girls’ night out in Mametville as the Geffen Playhouse presents Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet’s Boston Marriage, a wickedly sharp drawing room comedy about two fashionable, upper-class women involved in a “Boston marriage,” a Victorian euphemism for a long-term, intimate relationship between two unmarried, financially independent women. The production features Rebecca Pidgeon as Claire, Alicia Silverstone as Catherine, and Academy Award-winning Mary Steenburgen as Anna.
“We are thrilled to have David Mamet back at the Geffen, directing the second production at our newly renovated theater,” says Gil Cates, Producing Director of the Geffen Playhouse. “The talented Rebecca Pidegon, Alicia Silverstone and Mary Steenburgen make a stellar cast, and we look forward to bringing turn of the century high society—with a satirical twist— to the Geffen stage.”
Called “…one of the funniest American comedies in years,” by the New York Post, Boston Marriage is a wildly witty, biting satire about barely repressed desire, hostility between social classes, and decorous vulgarity. The play had its world premiere in 1999 at American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where it was directed by Mamet, and also starred Pidgeon as Claire and Felicity Huffman as Anna. In 2000, Boston Marriage was produced at the Donmar Warehouse and then at the New Ambassadors, both in London, England. In 2002, Boston Marriage was staged at the Public Theater in New York.
Ben Brantley of The New York Times said, “Move aside boys, with your gutter talk and con games and slovenly ways. It’s girls’ night out in Mametville…these ladies are refined…And believe it or not, they talk as pretty as anyone out of Oscar Wilde.”
Throughout Boston Marriage, Mamet’s character Anna loathes the ennui of everyday domestic life. Her unexpected response to conflict and adversity creates the ultimate parody of social proprieties, collapses class distinctions, and demonstrates how even sophisticated women of society—no less than men—will stop at nothing to get what they want.
The “Boston Marriage” Mamet depicts is on the verge of disintegrating. Anna has accepted gifts from a male protector in order to keep a comfortable home for herself and Claire. Claire has fallen in love with a young girl and is apparently oblivious to Anna’s sacrifice. Claire schemes to seduce the girl at Anna’s home while Anna diverts and occupies the girl’s mother with tea and pie.
The seduction is thwarted at the end of act one and Claire mourns the loss of the girl, while Anna mourns the loss of her sinecure and Claire. While fantasizing about the tryst, Claire and Anna scheme how to rescue the situation, eventually staging a fake seance in order to lure father, mother, and daughter to Anna’s residence. The despondent lovers rebound from the failed seance in act three, but receive word from the father-protector that Anna will be arrested if she doesn’t return a "stolen" necklace.
In the 19th century, the term “Boston Marriage” was used for households where two women lived together, independent of any male support. Whether these were lesbian relationships—in the sexual sense—is often debated. The term was apparently coined after Henry James' book The Bostonians detailed a marriage-like relationship between two women described as "New Women" in the language of the time. These were women who were independent, not married, and self-supporting.
Boston Marriage opens in previews on January 31, 2005 with an official press opening on February 8, 2006, and closes on March 12, 2006.
BIOGRAPHIES
DAVID MAMETIn addition to Boston Marriage, Pulitzer Prize winning David Mamet is the author of The Old Neighborhood, Oleanna, Glengarry Glen Ross (1984 Pulitzer Prize and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award), American Buffalo, A Life In The Theater, Speed The Plow, Edmond Lakeboat, The Water Engine, The Woods, Sexual Perversity In Chicago, Reunion, and The Cryptogram (1995 Obie Award). His translations and adaptations include Red River by Pierre Laville, and Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, The Three Sisters, and Uncle Vanya. His films include The Postman Always Rings Twice, The Verdict, The Untouchables, House Of Games (writer/director), Oleanna (writer/director), and Hoffa. Mamet is also the author of Warm and Cold, a book for children with drawings by Donald Sultan; Writing In Restaurants, Some Freaks and Make Believe Town, three volumes of essays; The Hero Pony, a book of poems; Three Children’s Plays, On Directing Film, The Cabin, True And False, and the novel The Village.
REBECCA PIDGEONA versatile and accomplished actress/singer/songwriter, Rebecca Pidgeon can be seen in the critically acclaimed Steve Martin film, SHOPGIRL. Pidgeon recently completed production on the British film Provoked with Miranda Richardson and Robbie Coltrane, as well as the independent film Edmond with William H. Macy, Joe Mantegna, and Julia Stiles. She is also currently working in television with recurring roles on the ABC drama In Justice and the CBS series The Unit. Other television credits include: Campaign, Uncle Vanya (BBC/PBS), She’s Been Away (BBC) and The Water Engine (TNT). Pidgeon’s film and stage credits include State And Main, Heist, The Winslow Boy, The Spanish Prisoner, Homicide, and The Dawning, among others. Her Broadway debut, in the fall of 1997, was at the Booth Theater playing the role of Deeny in The Old Neighborhood. Other stage credits: Dangerous Corner, Oleanna, The Changling, School For Scandal, When We Were Women, Bow Down, and Speed The Plow at the Royal National Theater in London. Rebecca Pidgeon has also sustained a more personal, but critically significant music career for more than 15 years and has recorded five albums. Pegged as a provocative singer in her first band Ruby Blue (Polygram UK), Rebecca has continued to write, sing, and perform, with her new CD, Tough On Crime, out now on The Lab/Universal Label. Joined on Tough On Crime by legendary musicians such as Billy Preston and Steely Dan co-founder Walter Becker, among others, and helmed by award winning producer Larry Klein (Joni Mitchell, Madeleine Peyroux) the new album has already been acclaimed for its genre-defying arrangements and simple, elegant story telling.
ALICIA SILVERSTONECast in the leading role for her first feature film (Morgan Creek’s The Crush) Alicia Silverstone gained worldwide acclaim as ‘Cher,’ the quintessential Beverly Hills teenager with a heart of gold in Paramount’s hit feature film Clueless. She soon formed her production company, First Kiss, in a multi-million dollar deal with Columbia Pictures, where she produced “Excess Baggage.” The film also starred Christopher Walken and Benicio Del Toro. In addition, she co-starred as ‘Batgirl’ in Batman and Robin (Warner Bros.) and was also seen in New Line Cinema’s comedy Blast From the Past opposite Brendan Fraser, Christopher Walken, and Sissy Spacek. She also co-starred in Miramax’s Shakespearean musical “Love’s Labour’s Lost” opposite Academy Award nominee Kenneth Branagh who directed the film as well. Silverstone made her Broadway debut as “Elaine Robinson” in “The Graduate” starring opposite Kathleen Turner and Jason Biggs. The play broke box office records, garnering $5.3 million in ticket sales before it even opened. Recently, Silvertone starred in “Miss Match,” a one-hour NBC dramedy produced by Darren Star. Most recently, she completed filming Beauty Shop opposite Queen Latifah which opened last March. She has two upcoming films: Stormbreaker (Weinstein Company) and Moscow Zero (independent). Silverstone has also continued her career behind the camera as Executive Producer of the hit animated television series “Braceface,” for which she also provides the voice of the lead character, Sharon Spitz. Braceface debuted on the Fox Family Network in June, 2001 to critical acclaim and unprecedented ratings in its Saturday morning time slot. The series recently earned a Genesis Award, an Environmental Media Award and a Prism Award nomination. Silverstone was also nominated for a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program and received a Golden Globe nomination for her television series Miss Match.
The 29 year-old actress was born and raised in San Francisco and made her stage debut in “Carol’s Eve” at the Met Theatre is Los Angeles. Silverstone guest-starred on The Wonder Years as Fred Savage’s “dreamgirl” and soon added more credits to her resume with a starring role in the Showtime movie “The Cool and the Crazy,” directed by Ralph Bakshi, a co-starring role in TriStar’s science fiction thriller “Hideaway” starring Jeff Goldblum and Christine Lahti, subsequent starring roles in “The Babysitter” and “True Crime” and the love story “Le Nouveau Monde,” a film by noted French director Alain Corneau. Silverstone’s performance in “The Crush” caught the eye of the rock group Aerosmith and she starred in their next three videos. The first video Cryin was voted Best Video of All Time on MTV. Silverstone has earned a total of six MTV Movie Awards as well as a Blockbuster Award, Nickelodeon Award, American Comedy Award and the prestigious National Board of Review Award.
MARY STEENBURGENPartial theatre credits: Holiday (London’s Old Vic, directed by Lindsay Anderson), Candida (Roundabout Theatre, New York), Marvin’s Room (Tiffany Theatre, Los Angeles), The Beginning of August (Atlantic Theatre, Company Member), The Exonerated (Bleecker Street Theatre, New York). Partial television credits: Joan of Arcadia, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Ink, About Sarah (Screen Actor’s Guild Nomination), Gulliver’s Travels, Tender is the Night (BAFTA nomination). Partial film credits: Goin’ South (directed by Jack Nicholson), Time After Time, Melvin and Howard (Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, New York Film Critics and Los Angeles Film Critics Awards), Ragtime, Cross Creek, Parenthood, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Life as a House, Back to the Future III, Powder, Sunshine State and Casa de los Babys (directed by John Sayles), and Elf. Mary Steenburgen recently completed principal photography on Nobel Son opposite Alan Rickman, Danny DeVito, Bill Pullman and Bryan Greenberg. Her film Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing and Charm School will be released in March. Mary Steenburgen and Ted Danson have been married for 10 years and are the parents of four children of whom they are mightily proud.
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EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:
BOSTON MARRIAGE (Los Angeles Premiere)Written and directed by David MametShow runs from January 31 through March 12, 2005 as follows:Previews January 31, 2005 through February 7, 2006Opening Night/Official Press Opening is February 8, 2005; show continues through March 12, 2006.
CAST
CLAIRE……………………..REBECCA PIDGEON
ANNA……………………….MARY STEENBURGEN
CATHERINE……………...ALICIA SILVERSTONE
KEY PRODUCTION PERSONNEL
LIGHTING DESIGNER………………TBD
COSTUME DESIGNER………………DEBRA MCGUIRE
SCENIC DESIGNER……………………TAKESHI KATA
STAGE MANAGER………………………MARY MICHELE MINER
Tickets ($35 to $69) are on sale now at the Geffen Playhouse box office, online at GeffenPlayhouse.com, via credit card phone order at 310.208.5454, at all Ticketmaster outlets (Robinsons May, Tower Records, and Ritmo Latino locations), or by calling Ticketmaster at 213.365.3500.
The Geffen Playhouse is located at 10886 Le Conte Avenue at Westwood Boulevard, in Westwood. Performances are Tuesdays through Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.; and Sundays at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. For general information or to request a brochure, call 310. 208.5454.
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ABOUT THE GEFFEN PLAYHOUSENow in its 10th Anniversary Season, the Geffen Playhouse is celebrated for its eclectic mix of classic plays, provocative new works, musicals, and contemporary plays, and continues to present a body of work that has garnered national recognition. Launched in 1994 at the Westwood Playhouse, the Geffen Playhouse was named in 1995 in honor of entertainment mogul and philanthropist David Geffen, who donated $5 million to the organization, one of the largest gifts ever made to an already-constructed theater. Headed by Producing Director Gilbert (Gil) Cates, Artistic Director Randall Arney and Managing Director Stephen Eich, the Geffen has produced eight world premieres, four Tony, four Pulitzer, and seven Obie-award winning shows in the company’s celebrated 10 seasons and maintains an extensive education and outreach program, designed to engage young people and the community at large in the arts. Enjoying its stature as a vital performing arts institution in Los Angeles with an annual attendance of more than 130,000 patrons, the Geffen Playhouse celebrated the grand opening of its newly renovated playhouse in November, 2005. For more information, please visit GeffenPlayhouse.com.
