And as this blockbuster, picnic, now prepares to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary, it seems an appropriate time to look back at the films production, which occurred during one memorable kansas summer in 1955. William motter inge william inge, in full william motter inge, born may 3, 19, independence, kan. Most likely even the theater technology of the early 50s might have. This popular play about a group of lonely women in a small kansas town whose lives are disrupted by the appearance of a virile, charming drifter captures the frustrations and. Picnic is based on an earlier short play by william inge, front porch, written in 1952. William inge author william inge 191973 was born in kansas. But william inge had it made, or so it seemed in 1962. Emerson college, 2010 a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of arts in the department of theatre in the college of arts and humanities at the university of central florida. Picnic by william inge about the playwright william inge was the most successful playwright of the 1950s, writing four hit broadway shows in a row come back, little sheba in 1951, picnic in 1954, bus stop in 1957, and the dark at the top of the stairs in 1958, each of which was made into a successful hollywood film. Watch a full play online performed with some great cast. A pulitzer prizewinning playwright, screenwriter, and novelist, inge is often referred to as the playwright of the midwest. Emotions are ignited amongst the complacent townsfolk when a handsome drifter arrives in a small kansas community on the morning of the labour day picnic. Picnic is the story of hal carter, a drifter who shakes up the lives in a small kansas town.
He did real graceful swan dives and a two and a half gainer, and a back flip. Picnic, bus stop, the dark at the top of the stairs, and come back, little sheba. Charter arts theatre female audition monologues audition. Apr 15, 2017 halfway through picnic, the 1953 william inge comedydrama playing at judson gym in repertory with inges come back, little sheba, a hunky vagabond named hal fidgets disconsolately while posing for a quicksketch portrait. Nov 25, 2012 the play picnic filmed for cable, with jennifer jason leigh, gregory harrison, rue mcclanahan, conchata ferrell, and dick van patten in the cast. Picnic is a threeact play written by william inge, the author of bus stop and come back, little sheba. The play takes place on labor day weekend in the joint back yards of two middleaged widows. Charter arts theatre female audition monologues please select one of the following monologues to prepare for your audition. Come back little sheba 1950, the pulitzer prize winner picnic 1953, bus stop 1955, and the dark at the top of the stairs 1957. The way the picnic event was brought to life offstage is a credit to inges creative imagination. Set in a small town in kansas, picnic details the lives of ordinary americans, from hopeful widows and embittered spinsters to idealistic teenagers and restless wanderers. Picnic is a 1955 american technicolor romantic comedydrama film filmed in cinemascope.
The one house belongs to flo owens, who lives there with her two m. Picnic is perhaps william inges most acclaimed play and with good reason. Picnic, a summer romance william inge snippet view 1955. The morning of a small town labor day picnic, a drifter hal carter blows into town to visit an old fraternity buddy alan benson who also happens to be the son of the richest man in town. A disturbed genius seen through the eyes of an intimate. The play was premiered at the music box theatre, broadway, on 19 february 1953 in a theatre guild production, directed by joshua logan, which ran for 477 performances the original cast featured ralph meeker, eileen heckart, arthur oconnell, janice rule, reta shaw, kim stanley and paul newman. Picnic plus 3 by william inge overdrive rakuten overdrive. Hal is a powerfully built drifter, a former college athlete reluctantly aware that he must. But now ive got a date with him, and its differentl youre crazy. Daniel taradash screenplay, william inge writer script synopsis. A small kansas town in the 1950s is the setting for william inges bittersweet melodrama picnic, which explores themes of sexuality, repression, rites of passage, and disappointment. This study guide consists of approximately 41 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of picnic. Picnic is a 1953 play by american author william inge.
The play explores themes of sexuality, repression, and rites of passage. A small kansas town in the 1950s is the setting for william inge s bittersweet melodrama picnic, which explores themes of sexuality, repression, rites of passage, and disappointment. The play picnic filmed for cable, with jennifer jason leigh, gregory harrison, rue mcclanahan, conchata ferrell, and dick van patten in the cast. During that decade, inge produced an unbroken string of successful plays. Picnic isbn 9780394590295 pdf epub william inge ebook. The one house belongs to flo owens, who lives there with her two maturing daughters, madge and millie, and a boarder who is a spinster school teacher. Picnic, william inges durable, pulitzer prizewinning play about the longings of women in a small town in kansas, gets a smallscreen retelling 9 pm etpt april 16 on cbstv. Inge won the 1953 pulitzer prize for drama for the work, and. Halfway through picnic, the 1953 william inge comedydrama playing at judson gym in repertory with inges come back, little sheba, a hunky vagabond named hal fidgets disconsolately while posing for a quicksketch portrait. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of picnic by william inge. Analysis and discussion of characters in william inges picnic. Nobody is bored when he is trying to make something that is beautiful, or to discover something that is true.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. This predecessor was a fragmented character study of several women. Picnic is perhaps william inge s most acclaimed play and with good reason. This acclaimed book by william inge is available at in several formats for your ereader. Picnic, drama in three acts by william inge, produced and published in 1953 and awarded a pulitzer prize in the same year. The midwestern world of william inge by mcclure, a. He had written an unprecedented string of broadway hits. This title collects four plays by american playwright william inge, including come back little sheba, picnic, bus stop, and the dark at the top of the stairs, isbn 9780394590295 buy the picnic ebook. An alluring drifter, a local beauty and the last sweltering days of summer are the key ingredients in william inges pullitzer prize and critics circle winner, picnic. University press of kansas, 1989 memories of splendor. You should have seen him this morning on the high diving board.
All four plays had become successful films featuring top hollywood stars. Originally written for stage, picnic opened on broadway in early 1953. Discussion of themes and motifs in william inges picnic. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading picnic plus 3. The original cast featured ralph meeker, eileen heckart, arthur oconnell, janice rule, reta shaw, kim stanley and paul newman. Picnic characters breakdowns including full descriptions with standard casting requirements and expert analysis. Picnic starring jennifer jason leigh 1986 cable broadcast. The play takes place on labor day weekend in the joint back yards of two mid.
Analysis and discussion of characters in william inge s picnic. The play was premiered at the music box theatre, broadway, on 19 february 1953 in a theatre guild production, directed by joshua logan, which ran for 477 performances. It was adapted for the screen by daniel taradash from william inge s 1953 pulitzer prize winning play of the same name. Barbara baxleythough not as well remembered today as tennessee williams and arthur miller, william inge was the most successful and acclaimed playwright in america in the 1950s. Kansas state historical society, 1989 return to top of page. Discussion of themes and motifs in william inge s picnic. With william holden, kim novak, betty field, susan strasberg. William inge this study guide consists of approximately 41 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to. Joshua logan, director of the original broadway stage production, directed the film version, which stars william holden, kim novak, and.
Inge was known as the playwright of the midwest and his works reflect his powerful understanding of the mores, attitudes and lifestyle of midwesterners, a decidedly different place than the west, south or east coast. Oct 26, 2014 watch a full play online performed with some great cast. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. A small kansas town in the 1950s is the setting for william inges bittersweet melodrama picnic. Hearts are broken and lives are changed in the following twentyfour hours, as hals lively, dangerous, masculine energy wakes up the sleepy community. An alluring drifter, a local beauty and the last sweltering days of summer are the key ingredients in william inge s pullitzer prize and critics circle winner, picnic. William inge, kansas playwright, independence, map of kansas.
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