Long-awaited O’Neill biography by Gelbs is in press May 2016

By Jo Morello ades that followed, much SOCIETY BOARD PRESIDENT new material came to light J. Chris Westgate By Women Possessed, Arthur and Bar- and [email protected] bara Gelb’s biography of Eugene be- VICE PRESIDENT O’Neill, will be released on November Robert M. Dowling came Central Connecticut State University 1 according to the publisher, Marian the SECRETARY/TREASURER Wood Books/Putnam. It is the third focus Beth Wynstra [email protected] O’Neill biography by the Gelbs, who won critical acclaim for INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY — their seminal work in 1956 and ASIA: Haiping Liu [email protected] subsequent revision in 2002. 1956, 1974 There is a hint in the title of INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY — EUROPE: Marc Maufort the newest book that this one of their sec- [email protected] will be different: O’Neill’s name ond book on GOVERNING BOARD OF DIRECTORS has been superseded by the O’Neill. But CHAIR: Steven Bloom [email protected] authors’ overview of the fa- 2000 it was not Jackson Bryer mous playwright. until letters and diaries [email protected]

belonging to O’Neill and his Michael Burlingame Here are excerpts from the third wife Carlotta Monterey [email protected] publisher’s release: “'One is were released that a more Robert M. Dowling 2016 [email protected] dragged into the very presence fully rounded picture of of a genius and made to feel his awful O’Neill could emerge. Readers ... will find it is Thierry Dubost [email protected] size,’ cautioned Arthur Miller, com- worth the wait. Kurt Eisen menting on Arthur and Barbara Gelb’s "By Women Possessed opens in 1928 as Strange [email protected] highly praised first exploration of the Interlude debuts on Broadway to stunning re- Eileen Herrmann life and work of the tormented play- [email protected] views. In eleven days, Eugene O’Neill and Car- wright. The accolades won in his life- Katie Johnson lotta Monterey will be eloping to France. ... [email protected] time battle to transform American Monterey was to introduce O’Neill to the finer theater seemed to be both compli- Daniel Larner things in life ... and O’Neill— handsome, charm- [email protected] ment and warning. ing, dangerous— would take Monterey to the Cynthia McCown [email protected] borderline where creativity and madness collide. "Beyond the friends and colleagues, Their monumental quarrels became the stuff of Anne G. Morgan [email protected] and ... the plays themselves, there was legend. Yet, after his death in 1953, when it David Palmer little else by which to know the man seemed O’Neill had faded from the public eye, it [email protected] behind the curtain when the Gelbs Robert Richter (Continued on page 2) [email protected] first began their research. In the dec- EX OFFICIO What’s Inside IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Jeff Kennedy By Women Possessed/The Gelbs...... 2 Bogard Artists in Residence...... 10-11 [email protected]

President’s Message...... 3-4 Honorary Board of Directors……...... 11 THE EUGENE O’NEILL REVIEW Annual Meeting………...... 4 Foundation’s Season of Firsts……...... 12 Editor: William Davies King [email protected] The Eugene O’Neill Review...……….……5 Contributors…………….………...... 13 O’Neill Celebrations, Stagings…...... 6-8 The Countess of Monte Cristo ...... 14 NEWSLETTER Editor: Jo Morello 10th International Conference: “Taft Never Does”...……………….....14 [email protected] Galway, July 19-22...... 9

Eugene O’Neill Society Page 1

Biography: By Women Possessed By Women Possessed, extensive O’Neill biography, set for November 1 release; culminates six decades of dedication by biographers Arthur and Barbara Gelb by Jo Morello years and left the young couple $30,000 in debt—but their seminal Shortly after their honeymoon in biography, simply titled O’Neill, was 1946, newlyweds Arthur and Barbara published in 1962 to critical acclaim Gelb splurged on orchestra seats for and presumably set their finances back . “Our shared admi- in order. ration for O’Neill had never flagged and, while we were both too young to As new material and resources be- have seen an original O’Neill produc- came available, they wrote an updated tion, we had faithfully read all the pub- revision, Life with Monte Cristo, in 2000 lished plays,” wrote Arthur in The City Arthur & Barbara Gelb and eventually, as even more re- Room. The book, a memoir of his days ‘He was quite frail already at that sources opened to them, they began as managing editor (and other posi- time.’” Arthur said, “The first gift that work on the long-awaited volume. tions) at The New York Times, docu- Barbara gave me was The Collected Over the years they have become au- ments this landmark event. It marked Plays of Eugene O’Neill.” Later O’Neill’s thorities on O’Neill, writing dozens of the unofficial start of a literary triangle third wife, Carlotta, would agree to be articles, appearing on Charlie Rose and that would endure for almost seven interviewed by Arthur and Barbara for other programs and co-authoring decades for Arthur, who died in 2014, their books on her late husband. Eugene O'Neill: A Documentary Film. and still continues for Barbara, Ar- thur’s partner in life and literature. In the late ’50s Harpers asked NYT O’Neillians have appreciated the theater critic Brooks Atkinson about a Gelbs: the Eugene O’Neill Society pre- “Both have been devotees of O’Neill biography of O’Neill. Deferring be- sented the Eugene O’Neill Medallion since their teens,” wrote Peter cause of his age, Atkinson passed the to them in 1995, the Foundation be- McDermott in Irish Echo in 2011. torch to the Gelbs. “We barely stowed the Tao House Award in 1996 “Barbara Gelb’s stepfather, the noted thought twice,” Arthur wrote in The and the Eugene O’Neill Theater Cen- playwright S. N. Behrman, arranged City Room. They planned to spend two ter awarded the Monte Cristo Award for her to meet the great man at a years documenting the first half of in 2005. rehearsal. ‘I shook his hand,’ she said. O’Neill’s life. Instead it took over five By Women By Women Possessed: tour of a magical moment Possessed:

(Continued from page 1) “By Women Possessed is a tour through Cover Story was Monterey’s canny decisions that both a magical moment in American by Barbara Gelb revived his reputation. ... [S]he chose theater and the troubled life of a gen- who would mount the revival of The ius. Just over125 years after his birth, The jacket image is Iceman Cometh and the premiere of O’Neill is a towering presence in the a painting of Eugene Long Day’s Journey Into Night that guar- theater, his work—always in perform- O'Neill in black and white by the anteed O’Neill a permanent place in ance here and abroad—still electrifying prominent American artist, Alex the theater. audiences. Perhaps of equal impor- Katz. It's a gift to us in memory of tance, he is the acknowledged father Katz's friendship with Arthur. "Seasoned by a lifetime of experience of modern American theater, [but] at with their subject, the Gelbs’ final work Available Nov. 1, 2016. Marian Wood a cost. As Tennessee Williams said, offers a masterly portrait of an emo- Books/Putnam. In hard cover and Kindle. ‘O’Neill gave birth to the American tionally damaged virtuoso and his trou- 896 pages with illustrations. theater and died for it.’” bled marriage. Eugene O’Neill Society Page 2 May 2016

A Message from Society president J. Chris Westgate Dear O’Neillians, the ways that Penn State is disseminat- h u g e ing and marketing The Eugene O’Neill O ’ N e i l l As I write this letter, I am still brim- Review. We seem to have a great enthusi- ming with enthusiasm from the Com- partner in Penn State. ast and parative Drama Conference in Balti- has com- more in early April. Although much Additionally, the Society elected Kurt m i t t e d about the conference was enjoyable, Eisen to the board and re-elected not only the highpoint was the attendance of Steve Bloom as the chair of the board, to attend Tony Kushner, the keynote speaker. two decisions that are certainly wel- the con- He was also part of a roundtable or- come given the ways the Kurt and f e r e n c e ganized by David Palmer, Steve have advanced O’Neill studies but also “Representations of Eugene O’Neill: and the Society. to deliver a talk on Fiction, Autobiography, and Adapta- J. Christopher Westgate, tion.” Other participants were past Finally, we took the Society meeting as O’Neill. new Society president, Society presidents Jackson Bryer and an opportunity to honor Dave King Addition- presents an overview. Jeff Kennedy, vice president Rob for the superb work that he has done ally, Nel- Dowling, The Review editor Dave King, as the editor of The Review. As most son re- and secretary/treasurer Beth Wynstra. of you know, Dave is stepping down at ports that Lonergan is hoping to entice It was an engaging discussion of the the end of this year and we will cer- the Druid Theater to do a production ways in which O’Neill’s image has tainly miss him. Our thanks, Dave! of an O’Neill play, which is an exciting been shaped by plays, by biographies Although the Executive Committee possibility. And the dates of our con- including Arthur and Barbara Gelb’s has not yet found Dave’s replacement, ference coincide with the Galway Fes- forthcoming By Women Possessed, by Judith Barlow has agreed to guest-edit tival, which will provide plenty for all photography, and by the ways we the spring 2017 issue of The Review so of us to do, see, and experience while teach O’Neill. A version of these ex- the journal is in good hands during this we are in Ireland. For now, we need cellent presentations will appear in The time of transition. an estimate of attendance. Beth has Eugene O’Neill Review. emailed all of you asking you if you We have exciting news on another plan to attend. If you haven’t re- When we weren’t discussing repre- front, namely, the upcoming Interna- sponded yet, please do. We need the sentations of O’Neill with Kushner, tional O’Neill Conference in Ireland. numbers to begin working on the con- the O’Neillians were hard at work The conference will be held on July 19 ference budget. with Society business, including a -22, 2017 at the University of Galway, meeting with Diana Pesek of Penn where Patrick Lonergan will host the While I am offering reminders, allow State University Press. who described Society. Nelson Ritschel has been me a moment to ask you to renew working closely your Society membership if you have-

with the Execu- n’t already. At the CDC, Beth told us tive Committee that membership is up slightly from in working out this time last year, which is great! But the logistics of we still need all of our members in this conference good standing. If you haven’t renewed and sent a re- yet, I urge you to do so soon. As al- port that Rob ways, you can renew online at the so- Dowling deliv- ciety website: h t t p : / / ered. First, Mi- www.eugeneoneillsociety.org/ chael Higgins, Beth Wynstra, Robert M. Dowling and Tony Kushner participate in a president of I hope you had the chance to see Society-sponsored roundtable at the Comparative Drama Confer- Ireland, is a (Continued on page 4) ence in Baltimore in early April. Eugene O’Neill Society Page 3 May 2016

Society’s annual board & business meeting Eugene O’Neill Society holds annual meeting at CDC in Baltimore By Beth Wynstra Here are some meeting highlights. Ad-  Dave King was honored for his Secretary/Treasurer ditional coverage of many items ap- incredible work as editor of The pears elsewhere in this newsletter. Eugene O’Neill Review. The Society The Society held its annual board and presented him with a commemo- business meeting in conjunction with  Past president Kurt Eisen was rative plaque. Judi Barlow will be the Comparative Drama Conference elected to the board of directors guest editing the first issue of in Baltimore on April 2. Since the and Steve Bloom was re-elected as 2017. More information about Eugene O’Neill Society website is un- board chair . this issue will be coming soon. der construction, we will mail meeting  Our membership numbers are up  A progress report on the Eugene minutes to our members. slightly from last year! We ended O’Neill International Conference 2015 with a in Galway, Ireland was presented slight surplus for Nelson Ritschel, conference and are on target chair, who could not attend our to do the same meeting. The conference will be in 2016. The July 19-22 at the National Univer- increase in mem- sity of Ireland, Galway. bership dues and  Jeff Kennedy presented the new the change in logo for the Society which will be structure of our used on our new website. Our membership lev- new website is currently under els seems to be construction and should be up and helping. We also running this summer. now receive a

yearly royalty Moderators for upcoming conferences check from Penn O’Neillians attending the annual meeting are vice president Robert include: State University M. Dowling and president J. Chris Westgate, seated. Standing be-  2017—Comparative Drama Con- Press for The hind them are secretary/treasurer Beth Wynstra, former president ference, Orlando, Florida: Chris Eugene O’Neill Jackson Bryer, playwright Tony Kushner, past president Jeff Ken- Westgate and David Palmer Review. nedy and The Review editor William Davies King.  2017—American Literature Asso- ciation Conference: TBD President’s message (continued from page 2)  2018—Modern Language Associa- tion Conference, New York City: O’Neill’s influence extends into second 100 years David Palmer Forrest Whitaker in before it ning of the next hundred years! closed in early April. If not, there’s My thanks to Dave King for his work plenty of excitement for Jessica Lange on The Review and to Judith Barlow for Welcome to our new members! and Gabriel Byrne in Long Day’s Journey taking on the next issue. Thanks, too, Into Night, which Roundabout Theatre Susan Brown-Hartford, CT to Jeff Kennedy for his ongoing work is presenting at American Airlines on O’Neill Facebook page and the re- Herman Farrell-Midway, KY Theatre through June 26, along with design of the Society website. Thanks John Hagan- NY, NY many other productions described in to Jo Morello for her tireless work in The Review. In this centennial of Ann Hall-Columbus, OH producing the Newsletter. And finally, O’Neill’s first play, it is clear that pro- thanks to Beth, Rob, and Steve who James Pecora-Potsdam, NY ductions of and scholarship on O’Neill have been great to work with during Barbara Voglino-Grand Island, are still going strong. It’s even more these first few months of my time as FL exciting to realize that when we are in President of the Society. Ireland next year, it will be the begin- Eugene O’Neill Society Page 4 May 2016

The Eugene O’Neill Review Parting Words from Editor of The Eugene O’Neill Review

By William Davies King front porch of Monte Cristo Cot- tage), and a Tao House poem by The upcoming issue of The Rupendra Guha Majumdar. David Eugene O’Neill Review (37:2) will Palmer had the good sense to be my last as editor, and I am think that a Comparative Drama pleased to go out with a jointly Conference panel might be organ- edited issue, like a baton pass in ized on this topic, and he brought a relay race. Our Society secre- in some “usual suspects” and an tary/treasurer Beth Wynstra and “artist, not nothing,” named Tony I have assembled an issue largely Kushner. The unfoldings of that devoted to the subject of how panel are also featured in this is- O’Neill as a character and sue. O’Neill’s extended family history And (as the vaudeville posters put as a plot have been used as the Society president Chris Westgate, right, and secretary/ it) SO MUCH MORE! My thanks material of dramatic invention. treasurer Beth Wynstra honored William Davies King go to Judith Barlow for taking the How often has it been said (and with a plaque in appreciation of his six years as editor helm of this journal, if only for a not facetiously) that the best of The Eugene O’Neill Review. He received the moment, and my call goes out to O’Neill play is the life story of plaque at the Comparative Drama Conference in all who read this article that feed- O’Neill himself? Of course, a Baltimore in April. mover and shaper of that story ing your journal with your creative was O’Neill, who learned a lot from tenth anniversary celebration. Jo has and ingenious and merely workaday his father about what makes a good been working on this subject, in one- smart contributions is of vital impor- story. Throughout his career O’Neill act and full-length form, for a number tance to the future of O’Neill as a tried and tested himself as material for of years, and in the Winter 2013 topic. Read on!—and write often! drama—selecting, editing, adapting— Newsletter she addressed the topic. always pushing the leading edge of Tony Kushner got Eugene O’Neill to Judith Barlow will edit what plays can and should do. sing (operatically, with the help of Jeanine Tesori). And when at last I The Review in 2017 At last, after the last play was marked ventured into that sort of creation last as finished, and then after his life was year, with a little frame play for a pro- Judith E. Barlow, Ph.D., will edit a spe- finished, biographers, novelists, and duction of Exorcism, it seemed clear at cial 2017 issue of The Eugene O’Neill scenographers took up the material, last that an issue of the Review might Review, devoted to “The Women in and O’Neill became a character. be devoted to such works. O’Neill’s World.” Essays will explore (Think Jack Nicholson leering at Diane colleagues who influenced or were Keaton in Reds.) The level of fascina- Ronan Noone was wonderfully re- influenced by O’Neill’s work; family tion with O’Neill as the material of sponsive to our suggestion that we and friends who helped shape his ca- drama has never fallen off. Before I publish his “downstairs” angle on the reer; and recurrent female archetypes ever met Beth Wynstra, about a dec- world of Long Day’s Journey Into Night, in his plays. Articles investigating the ade ago, she had written a play about and so we have the privilege of pre- relationships between the women in O’Neill and his women, which was miering the full text of his play for his life and his art are also welcome. A eventually produced in several incarna- publication. We also have dramatic formal CFP will be issued this summer. ventures by Ms. Morello and Mr. Her- tions in conjunction with the Eugene Dr. Barlow is Professor Emerita of man Farrell (recent Travis Bogard Fel- O’Neill Foundation. The Foundation’s English, Women’s Studies, and Theatre low at Tao House), a monologue by Playwrights’ Theatre also presented a at SUNY Albany. Her bio appears on Laura Shea (think of that famous full-length play about O’Neill by our page 13. Newsletter editor Jo Morello for its photo of O’Neill at eleven on the Eugene O’Neill Society Page 5 May 2016

All the World’s an O’Neill Stage: Provincetown, 2016 O’Neill is Bound East for Provincetown in his centennial year by Stuard M. Derrick can be viewed on the li- brary’s website (www. One-hundred years ago, on provincetownlibrary.org). July 28, 1916, the American theater took a giant, culturally On Wednesday, July 13, at inestimable stride into modern 6 p.m. the Provincetown dramatic realism on a ram- Writer’s Voice Café, spon- shackle wharf in a small fishing sored by the Provincetown village at the end of Cape Cod Public Library, will host with the debut of Eugene “Footprints in the Sand,” a O’Neill’s Bound East for Cardiff. presentation by cultural In celebration of that historic critic and journalist Susan evening, Provincetown will Rand Brown. The evening honor its visionary hometown will focus on the anniver- playwright with an impressive sary of O’Neill’s arrival in town and the “great Prov- array of readings, lectures, The casts of two short O’Neill plays, Warnings and Fog, pose for incetown summer” of 1916, film, theatre, and exhibitions a photo in the Provincetown Library, where they read the two an emblematic season throughout this centenary plays on March 15 as part of the O’Neill 100, celebrating the marked by the advent of year. centennial of O’Neill’s first production. PHOTO: MICHELE CLARK Modernism in the arts and theater. Ms. Rand Brown will present and Before Breakfast on May 17. The an illustrated overview of the town’s S.S. Glencairn cycle will sail into the formative artistic years, spanning the library’s Marc Jacobs Reading Room years from the arrival of plein air with The Moon of the Caribbees and The painter Charles Hawthorne to that of Long Voyage Home on June 21, fol- the founders of the influential Prov- lowed by and Bound East for Cardiff on July 19. Other readings include Ile and The Rope on August 16, Shell Shock and The Dreamy Kid on Sep- tember 20, and Where the Cross Is Made and Exorcism on October 18.

A special feature of the O’Neill 100 John Andert embraces the body of Dian series will be commentaries by O’Neill Hamilton in O’Neill’s Fog, presented as scholars and board members of the part of the O’Neill 100. Eugene O’Neill International Society The O’Neill 100, a series of readings including Professor Robert M. of the playwright’s shorter plays, Dowling, author of Eugene O’Neill: A commenced in January at the Prov- Life in Four Acts; author and Professor incetown Library with a double bill of Beth Wynstra; and Robert A. Richter, Paul E. Halley and Jane Macdonald read A Wife for a Life and The Web. Other author of Eugene O'Neill and Dat Ole O’Neill’s Warnings at Provincetown Li- readings have included Warnings and Davil Sea. The Provincetown Public brary as part of the O’Neill 100. Fog on March 15, Abortion and The Library is videotaping and archiving PHOTOS: MICHELE CLARK Movie Man on April 19 and The Sniper each month’s readings, and the series (Continued on page 8)

Eugene O’Neill Society Page 6 May 2016

All the World’s an O’Neill Stage: Florida, New York City and elsewhere, 2016 Asolo Rep presents enchanting Ah, Wilderness! in Sarasota By Jo Morello 1 2 Asolo Repertory Theatre staged a mini- malist production of Eugene O’Neill’s Ah, Wilderness! from January 20-April 10 in its elegant 500-seat auditorium, which was an interesting contrast with the play’s simple staging. The production was directed by Greg Leaming, associate Clockwise: 1) Members of the artistic director of Asolo Rep and direc- cast sing “Love’s Old Sweet 3 tor of Florida State University/Asolo Song” to open Ah, Wilderness!. Conservatory for actor training, which is 2) Nat (David Breitbarth) and closely affiliated with the professional Sid (Doug Jones) discuss Rich- company. Leaming cast five actors from ard’s behavior. 3) The extended the rep company, eight from third-year Miller family awaits Richard’s conservatory students, and the other return. two from Sarasota-area schools. He trimmed 40 minutes from the script (with permission), employed a skeletal set, used music for scene shifts, and staged a charming production that won hearts, audiences and raves. My review of this production will appear in the fall issue of The Eugene O’Neill Review (37:2).

TampaRep stages Iceman from June 16-July 3 Long Day’s Journey: many raves, some pans; Tampa Repertory Theatre will pro- and women, duce Eugene O’Neill’s landmark and the sales- American drama The Iceman Cometh at man with a Roundabout Theatre Company's re- Studio 120 on the University of South pitch he says vival of Long Day's Journey Into Night at Florida campus from June 16 to July 3. will save them American Airlines Theatre opened on from them- April 25 to mostly praise and some In his masterful The Iceman Cometh, selves. It’s a pans from critics. The latest Tyrone O’Neill presents broken and lost men story of hope family members—Jessica Lange, a n d Gabriel Byrne, John Gallagher Jr., and r e g r e t Michael Shannon—are frequently sin- in a gled out for noteworthy performances Theodore Hickman c h e a p but some critics feel that they never sells a pitch his friends gin mill become a family. Ben Brantley of The don't want to hear. on New New York Times calls it a “disjunctive Y o r k’ s production” while Charles McNulty of lower West Side in 1912. the Los Angeles Times says it “fails to connect.” Conversely, Marilyn Stasio C. David Frankel, director, is of Variety calls it an “outstanding re- From left: Larry Slade (Michael Mahoney), Don founder of five-year-old Tampa vival” and Jeremy Gerard of Deadline Parritt (Nick Hoop), Harry Hope (Ernie Rowland), Rep, which has earned a repu- called it “spectral” and “transfixing.” the General (Tom Crutcher) and a sleeping drunk tation for solid professional (C. David Frankel) brood in Harry Hope’s saloon. productions. The play runs through June 26. PHOTOS: DESIREE FANTAL Eugene O’Neill Society Page 7 May 2016

All the World’s an O’Neill Stage: Provincetown and Michigan, 2016 The Great Provincetown Summer, 1916—and more (Continued from page 6) ciation and Museum will host the de-

but of Provincetown-based director incetown Players, O’Neill’s first theat- and screenwriter Arthur Egeli’s Eugene rical home. (www.facebook.com/ O’Neill. The film is a re-imagining of WritersVoiceCafe O’Neill’s life from his months at the

Gaylord Farm Sanitarium in Walling- The prestigious Berta Walker Gallery ford, Connecticut, to his arrival in will feature Children of the Sea, Provincetown and the production of O’Neill’s initial version of Bound East Bound East for Cardiff as well as his ar- for Cardiff on Saturday, July 23, from 4 dent affair with Louise Bryant. -6 p.m. The reading is a highlight of the www.paam.org. gallery’s featured summer exhibit,

Bound East for Provincetown, which Rounding out the yearlong O’Neill melds the extraordinary achievements celebrations, from September 22 to 25 of the artists, writers and actors who the Provincetown Tennessee Williams created American modern art, letters Festival will feature a program titled and theatre in Provincetown during The Pilgrim Monument, seen in this 2005 Beyond Success: Tennessee Williams the historic summers of 1915 and photo, is a Provincetown landmark. and Eugene O’Neill, featuring a South 1916. The reading will be followed by PHOTO: JO MORELLO African adaptation of Desire Under the a wine and cheese reception for the host a re-enactment of the evening of Elms. Brian Dennehy, noted for his actors and attendees. exactly 100 years earlier on Mary critically acclaimed interpretations of www.bertawalkergallery.com Heaton Vorse’s wharf theater. The O’Neill’s characters, will be the Festi-

program will include readings of The val’s guest of honor at their annual The Pilgrim Monument and Province- Game by Louise Bryant, Not Smart by dinner on Saturday, June 4, which in- town Museum will continue its pro- Wilbur Daniel Steele, and Bound East cludes a conversation with the Tony gram on “Bohemians, Radicals and for Cardiff. Actors reading from the Award-winning actor, led by Professor Free Thinkers: The Great Province- works of Vorse and Susan Glaspell will Robert M. Dowling (twptown.org). town Summer – 1916.” Launched on also be featured. This special evening April 1, the season-long exhibit pre- will be preceded by a reception from Stuard M. Derrick has written extensively sents objects, art and narrative about 6-7 p.m. at the Museum. http:// on the arts for Provincetown Magazine the remarkable summer that marked www.pilgrim-monument.org and the Provincetown Banner. He is the Provincetown’s emergence as the na- director and curator of the O’Neill 100 tion’s first arts colony. From 7-9 p.m. In August, the Provincetown Art Asso- series at the Provincetown Library. on Thursday, July 28, the Museum will

Norwegian play about O’Neill set for Ann Arbor on June 24-26 Ann Arbor Civic Theatre’s A2CT translated the script. Theater, Westchester County, NY. Studio Series will present And Give Us the Shadows, a play by Lars Norén, First staged in 1991, And Give Us the (Ed. Note: The Eugene O’Neill Review considered Sweden’s preeminent Shadows posits a fictitious birthday visit published Michael C. O’Neill’s review contemporary playwright. The play is by O’Neill’s sons Eugene Jr. and Shane of the premiere production in 2015 set for June 24-26 in Ann Arbor, to O’Neill’s home in Marblehead (36: 1, 104-107). His review is also Michigan, with Paul Bianchi directing. Neck, MA. The play had its American available on Project Muse (https:// Marita Lindholm Gochman has premiere in 2013 at The Schoolhouse muse.jhu.edu/article/578072).

Eugene O’Neill Society Page 8 May 2016

All the World’s an O’Neill Stage: Galway, July 2017 10th Eugene O’Neill International Society Conference set for July 19-22 in Galway with Ireland’s president as keynote speaker

The Tenth Eugene O’Neill Park estate and to nearby Thoor among scholars in Ireland and the U.K. International Society Conference—for Ballylee Castle, once owned by W. B. This should help to attract new members and nonmembers—is fast Society members. becoming a reality says Nelson Ritschel, conference chair. The event Conference chair Nelson Ritschel, will be held July 19-22 at the National Ph.D., is professor in the Department University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG), of Humanities at Massachusetts hosted by Dr. Patrick Lonergan, Head Maritime Academy and a noted of Drama at NUIG. Dr. Lonergan has authority on Ireland, its culture and been most accommodating and is Yeats. Yeats and Gregory were especially its literary and dramatic enthusiastic about the conference. founders and directors of the Abbey heritage. To learn more about him, Theatre, with Yeats admiring O’Neill’s see https://www.maritime.edu/profile/ Since NUIG maintains the Abbey work. Coole Park still features ritschel-nelson Theatre’s archives, he is planning an Gregory’s Copper Beech autograph exhibit of Abbey O’Neill productions. tree, which was signed by many Irish WHO DESERVES A MEDALLION? He is also planning to entice the writers and artists during the 1900- internationally acclaimed Druid 1930 period. If O’Neill had visited We are in full preparation Theatre, based in Galway, to stage an Ireland during 1920s, he would have mode for the 10th Eugene O’Neill play during the conference been required to carve his initials in O’Neill Society International week. The Theatre has a history of the tree. Conference in Galway in July O’Neill productions. 2017. We are honored that Ire- In addition to the events planned as land’s President Michael Hig- The President of Ireland, Michael D. part of the conference, we will be able gins will be the keynote speaker Higgins, has confirmed that he will to visit the numerous cultural events at our banquet. attend the Medallion Banquet on 21 of the Galway International Arts July. As an O’Neill enthusiast, the Festival, which takes place during our One of the highlights of the President will deliver a lecture during conference week. conference will be the awarding the Banquet on O’Neill and the Irish of the 2017 Eugene O’Neill Me- tradition. An academic before turning There are many hotels in and around dallions, which we will present to politics, President Higgins’ literary Galway, and NUIG will have some at the banquet. The Medallion knowledge is astounding. His lecture dormitory space available for housing honors distinguished scholars, will be extremely memorable. during the conference. theater professionals and oth- ers who have dedicated signifi- The Galway area offers literary day Dr. Lonergan is awaiting an attendance cant portions of their careers to trips to Lady Augusta Gregory’s Coole estimate in order to provide detailed furthering knowledge and ap- cost analysis for the conference. Since preciation of O'Neill. President Higgins is attending the Banquet, that event may need to be We have received nominations held in an area hotel. The President for Medallion recipients and our will have a small entourage, which will board of directors is reviewing need to be accommodated. them carefully. We will select the Medallion winners from the In addition, Dr. Lonergan anticipates a list of nominees. COOLE HOUSE great deal of interest in the conference

Eugene O’Neill Society Page 9 May 2016

The Eugene O’Neill Foundation Bogard Artist-in-Residence Program names 2016 Tao House Fellows By Gary Schaub published in French, I hope

directors will have a better A scholar from France and a play- understanding of the play- wright from Pennsylvania have wright and his works, which been selected by the Eugene O’Neill would probably lead to up- Foundation Board to be the 2016 dated translations.” Tao House fellows in the Travis Bo- gard Artist in Residence Program at Dubost, a board member of Tao House in Danville. the Eugene O’Neill Interna- tional Society, is the author of Thierry Dubost, professor of English Struggle, Defeat or Rebirth: at the University of Caen, Nor- Valerie Joyce Thierry Dubost Eugene O’Neill’s Vision of Hu- mandy, France, will arrive in May to outlook on O’Neill’s works. This means manity, as well as The Plays of spend a month at Tao House working including photos of his staged works— Thomas Kilroy, an Irish playwright on a short biography of Eugene O’Neill first productions or significant pictures whom many critics associate with Pi- in French, targeting readers, actors, of later productions.” randello. He is editor or co-editor of directors, and theatre lovers who are six books mainly focused on theatre interested in the life and works of Dubost also looks forward to reading and is a regular contributor to The Eugene O’Neill. the entire collection of O’Neill’s letters Eugene O’Neill Review. in the library, starting with those writ- Valerie Joyce, associate professor in ten in France, then all his letters in While at Tao House Professor Joyce the Graduate Theatre Department at order to find O’Neill’s remarks about plans to work on two aspects of her Villanova University, Pennsylvania, will France and French art. He plans to se- project titled I Will Speak for Myself. work on revising her one-woman play lect letters for the second part of the “This project intertwines a full-length and writing a chapter of a book, both book and translate them on returning play with a scholarly manuscript about projects focusing on African women’s to France. African-American women and embod- lives from the Colonial Period to the ied performance,” Joyce says. Civil War. He added, “I have decided to write this book because there is no French Her first task will be to revise and re- Professor Dubost’s planned biography equivalent to what I intend to do. fine her one-woman play, which por- of O’Neill will focus on the play- Eugene O’Neill is hardly ever played in trays sixteen African American wright’s life. Each play will be set France for various reasons. For some women’s lives from the Colonial pe- within the author’s creative context plays, as in the United States, the riod to the Civil War. and summarized so readers have an plays are not produced because they “The text and performance breathe understanding of the themes and aes- are not major dramatic achievements life into slave narratives, personal let- thetic achievements of the playwright. and are unlikely to draw crowds. . . . ters, memoirs, diary entries, court re- Dubost says, “Selecting photos from Conversely, I feel that many great cords, poems, public addresses, and the Foundation’s library will be the plays are simply left aside because newspaper advertisements to share first purpose of my stay…. Photos directors do not have the biographical the voices and experiences of long- would enable French readers to have a and aesthetic background which could forgotten women. Although I traverse visual entry into the staging of help them situate each work within a two hundred years of African Ameri- O’Neill’s works. Visual aspects of the whole dramatic spectrum…. I believe can women’s history, the monologues stagings are essential. Through illustra- the book will benefit the whole thea- tions, readers will have an adequate tre community…. Once the book is (Continued on page 11)

Eugene O’Neill Society Page 10 May 2016

The Eugene O’Neill Foundation (continued) Fellows focus on books, one in French, one about African American women

(Continued from page 10) Higher Education, American Theatre

and Drama Society, Women and Thea- I wrote are not vague overviews of tre Program, Society for Early Ameri- historical periods. Instead, each char- cans, Mid America Theatre Conference acter experiences a moment: a cata- and American Literature Association, lyzing, crystallizing, singular moment and has written and lectured exten- that reflects the broader historical sively on the history of black women. context as it relates to one woman’s life, breathing life into her story,“ Tao House Fellows last year were a Tao House was home to the O’Neills Joyce says. scholar and two playwrights: professor from 1937 to 1944. David Palmer of the Massachusetts The play has been presented in Penn- topic of the chapter Joyce plans to Maritime Academy and playwrights, sylvania and Maryland, where Joyce write at Tao House. “This ‘living histo- Herman Farrell III from the University experimented and focused on form riography’ offers a roadmap for con- of Kentucky, and Adrienne Earl Pender and content. At Tao House she will temporary scholars to recover and from North Carolina. All lauded the revise the text, as she plans to take reintegrate those lives and histories experience that allowed them to work the play to the Edinburgh Fringe Festi- into our dominant narratives … pro- in the creative atmosphere in which val in August. viding compelling texts for performers Eugene O’Neill wrote his master- pieces. The program, open to artists, Professor Joyce also hopes to com- of every level,” Joyce said. scholars or critics of the performing plete a chapter of her book, Embodied Professor Joyce has directed many arts, is named for the late Travis Bo- Performance and African American plays and has written, directed and gard, professor of Dramatic Arts at UC Women, 1649-1865: A Living Histori- designed I Will Speak for Myself Berkeley and the O’Neill Foundation’s ography (under contract to a pub- (Beacon Theatre Company). She co- first artistic director. lisher), which documents and vivifies conceived, directed, choreographed the long-forgotten early American and designed, (Dis)Embodied Voices, The Artist in Residence is a program of black women in the play. (Mainstay Arts Center, MD) and To the Eugene O’Neill Foundation www.eugenoneill.org, run in associa- Ellen Craft, a slave in Macon, who with Sirloin with Love: a Meat Opera (NYC tion with the at her husband became a celebrity after Fringe Festival). She is a member of the Eugene O’Neill National Historic a daring escape in 1848, will be the the American Society of Theatre Re- search, Association for Theatre in Site. Eugene O’Neill Society Honorary Board of Directors

 Stephen A. Black: Past president, Eugene O’Neill  Maura O’Neill Jones: Daughter of Shane Society; author, scholar O’Neill; granddaughter of Eugene and Agnes  Wendy Cooper: Past president, Eugene O’Neill O’Neill Foundation, Tao House; past Newsletter editor  Margaret Loftus Ranald: Past president, Eugene  Frank Cunningham: Scholar, author O’Neill Society; author, scholar  Diane Schinnerer: Past secretary/treasurer,  Barbara Gelb: O’Neill biographer; author, Eugene O’Neill Society; past president, Eugene playwright O’Neill Foundation, Tao House.  Tom J. A. Olsson: Author, scholar, past International Secretary, Eugene O’Neill Society  Eugene O’Neill Society Page 11 May 2016

The Eugene O’Neill Foundation (continued) Eugene O’Neill Foundation presents a Season of Firsts

By Gary Schaub rated into many of his plays. The As part of its celebration of revue, directed this year as the 100th anni- by Rachel Robin- versary of a production of a son, is based on play by the playwright The Eugene known as “The Father of O’Neill Song Book, American Drama,” the published in 1993 Eugene O’Neill Foundation, by Travis Bogard. Tao House in Danville, has An Afterglow scheduled “A Season of Gala benefit for Firsts.” Tao House in the the Foundation Danville Hills was home to was part of the Eugene O’Neill and his wife, May 14 evening. Carlotta, from 1937-1944. It was here that O’Neill O'Neill’s plays often feature the desire to escape life’s disappointments In September and wrote his last and greatest (and sometimes responsibilities). No place is more symbolically linked October, the plays, so it’s fitting to ob- with this longing for release than the barroom, whether in The Iceman 17th annual serve his triumphs here. Cometh or . O’Neill chose lively songs for the plays Eugene O’Neill and some will be featured in the revue O'Neill: The Rhythms of His Soul. Festival will fea- In July 1916 in Province- ture O’Neill’s The town, Massachusetts, Bound East for “Throughout 2016 our programs will Emperor Jones.The original production Cardiff marked the first production of focus on a series of firsts for O’Neill in 1920 featured African-American an O’Neill play, of fifty-one plays by and the American Theatre,” he adds. actor Charles Gilpin in the leading the playwright who later was awarded In early January, the O’Neill Founda- role. This was a first for the American four Pulitzer Prizes for drama and was tion presented Beyond the Horizon in a theater. The Foundation will present the first—and still the only—American staged reading at the Museum of the seven performances in the Old Barn at playwright to be honored with the San Ramon Valley. This is the play that Tao House. Nobel Prize. To recognize the begin- earned O’Neill the first of three Pulit- ning of his significant journey, the zer Prizes for drama and opened the Also, as part of the Eugene O’Neill Eugene O’Neill Foundation will pre- doors to Broadway. Festival, the Foundation will again part- sent Bound East for Cardiff in the Old ner with Role Players Ensemble of Barn at the Eugene O’Neill National On April 30-May 1 and May 14-15 in Danville for a production of Edward Historic Site that encompasses Tao the Old Barn at the Eugene O’Neill Albee’s prize-winning play Seascape. House on July 30-31. National Historic Site in Danville, the This will be presented at the Village Foundation presented O’Neill: The Theatre in downtown Danville in Sep- “We thought it important to recog- Rhythms of His Soul, a lively musical tember. nize the centennial of O’Neill plays revue devised by Foundation Director- with several special productions during Emeritus Dan Cawthon. The produc- In addition to its public performances, 2016,” says Eric Fraisher Hayes, direc- tion includes early American popular the Eugene O’Neill Foundation will tor of artistic programs for the O’Neill music, well-known songs of the day, continue its student educational pro- Foundation. “Eugene O’Neill brought songs of the sea, and familiar music grams of Student Days at Tao House many innovations to the American hall tunes. With a cast of five singers in March, and the Travis Bogard Artist theatre, and we want to honor that and dancers, O’Neill: Rhythms of His in Residence program for writers and during this special year with several Soul presents over seventy songs of scholars later in the year. important firsts.” the period, which O’Neill incorpo-

Eugene O’Neill Society Page 12 May 2016

Meet some O’Neillians who contributed their talent to this issue

Jo Morello, news- 2001); Special Arts Award for Distin- William Davies King has re- letter editor, has guished Service to the Arts (Arts & cently put to- operated a public Culture Commission, Contra Costa County, 2001), Outstanding Arts Sup- gether Long Day’s relations business in porter (Diablo Regional Arts Assn., Journey Into Night: Sarasota, Florida, 1974-2001), Contra Costa County Multimedia Edition since 1986 and in Theatre Shellie Award for Outstanding for Yale Univer- Philadelphia before Contribution to the Performing Arts sity Press, which that. She is also a (1991 and 1999). follows on his 2014 “critical edition.” freelance writer and award-winning He is currently working on a critical playwright. She founded and manages Beth Wynstra, edition of The Iceman Cometh, also for Starlite Players in Sarasota, FL. Recent Ph.D., is an assis- Yale. John Gallagher’s wonderful per- productions of short plays include tant professor of Gene & Aggie (Starlite Players, Sara- formance as Edmund Tyrone did not English at Babson sota, FL; Tampa Bay Theatre Festival, inspire him to re-grow his Exorcism College, where she Tampa, FL; Samuel French Off-Off mustache. teaches courses in Broadway Short Play Festival, NYC); American Drama, Talkback, (Tampa Bay Theatre Festival; modernism, acting, Starlite Players; Future Ten, Pitts- Judith E. Barlow is professor public speaking, and business writing. burgh, PA); Ancient Oaks, Starlite Play- emerita of Eng- She serves as Faculty Director for the ers; and three collaborations with Jack lish, Women’s Sorenson Center for the Arts at Gilhooley: Connubial Bliss (Lantern Studies, and Babson and regularly directs musi- Theatre, Sheffield, Kent, UK; Starlite Theatre at the cals and plays. Beth is the secre- Players, Sarasota); and Co-Dependents University at tary/treasurer of the Eugene (Starlite Players) and the full-length Life Albany, SUNY. O'Neill Society. Upon the Wicked Stage (Gypsy Rep Her books in- Stage, Tampa, FL). Her full-length play clude Final Acts: The Creation of Three E.G.O.: The Passions of Eugene Gladstone J. Chris West- Late O'Neill Plays; Plays by American O’Neill was produced by Balagula Thea- gate, Ph.D., Women,1900-1930; Plays by American tre Company, Lexington, KY, as win- president of the Women, 1930-1960; Women Writers of ner of the Kentucky Women Writers Eugene O’Neill the Provincetown Players: A Collection of Conference). (www.jomorello.com). Society and book Short Works; and Howe in an Hour. She review editor of has been a visiting professor at Nankai Gary Schaub, co- The Eugene O’Neill University in China and Sofia Univer- president of the Review, is associate sity in Bulgaria. Eugene O’Neill Foun- professor of English at California State dation, Tao House, University, Fullerton. He is the author Judi’s dedication to the work of has been on its board of Urban Drama: The Metropolis in Con- women playwrights has been recog- since 2002. He was temporary North American Plays and nized by the creation of the Judith E. president (2007-09) and vice president articles in Modern Drama, Theatre Jour- Barlow Prize, named in her honor by of development (2009-13) and helped nal, and Comparative Drama; and editor History Matters: Back to the Future. secure funding for both Student Days of Brecht, Broadway, and United States Applications are accepted from stu- at Tao House and the O'Neill Studio Theatre. His book, Staging the Slum, dents participating in the History Mat- Retreat. He was also Cultural Services Slumming the Stage, which examines ters program “One Play At A Director for Walnut Creek, CA, from the intersection of theatergoing and Time: Historic Women Playwrights 1974-2001. Gary’s awards include Life- slumming during the Progressive Era, Initiative.” time Contributions to the Local Arts has just been published by Palgrave Agency Field (California Arts Council, Macmillan.

Eugene O’Neill Society Page 13 May 2016 We mourn the Countess of Monte Cristo Untitled Poem by Jo Morello at Monte Cristo Cottage, said, “Sally by Eugene O’Neill became my soul mate in so many ways (with apologies to J. W. Riley) Nearly eve- beyond our ties to the O'Neill Center ryone who and especially Eugene O'Neill's Monte Our Teddy opens wide his mouth, v i s i t e d Cristo Cottage.” Board member N'runs around n'yells all day, M o n t e Robert A. Richter of Connecticut Cot- N' calls some people naughty names, Cristo Cot- tage speaks for many of us: N'says things that he shouldn't say. tage enjoyed N'when he's nothing else to do Sally Pavetti’s “I cannot remember when I first met charm, wit He swells up like he'd like to bust, Sally Thomas Pavetti, but it was proba- N'pounds on something with his fist and knowl- bly close to thirty years ago and it had N'tells us 'bout some wicked trust. edge. A foun- to have been at the Monte Cristo der and hon- Cottage. Sally, along with Lois I always wondered why that was - orary board McDonald, was a fixture at the cot- I guess it's cause member of tage. She brought the cottage to life, Taft never does. the Eugene sharing her knowledge, warmth and O’Neill Soci- her graciousness. She welcomed me He tells the farmers how to sow ety, she be- into the cottage and the world of N'shows the cav'lry how to ride, came curator for the Eugene O’Neill Eugene O’Neill with open arms, as she N'if you try to say a word Theater Center in 1966, then curator did for countless others. As curator He's angry, n'he says you lied. for Monte Cristo Cottage in 1972 she was a champion for the cottage, N'when it's quiet over here when the O'Neill bought the National preserving it and the memory of He goes way far acrost the seas Historic Landmark. Eugene O’Neill in New London. She N'gets a great big gun n'shoots touched so many; from students and At its conference in June 2014 the So- The elephants n' chimpanzees. teachers, researchers and scholars to I always wondered why that was - ciety presented the Eugene O’Neill some of the greatest theater artists I guess it's cause Medallion to Sally, then curator from around the globe and even the emeritus of the Monte Cristo Cottage Taft never does. casual summer tourist; each and every Museum and Library. Because she was one leaving with new insight into Gene, 24, wrote about the 1912 elec- struggling with Alzheimer’s, her de- America’s greatest playwright. But tion, which pitted Republican William H. voted husband Fran accepted her Me- what I think I will remember the most, Taft against Progressive Theodore Roo- dallion and accompanied her to a party and will never forget, is Sally’s smile sevelt. (Readers may substitute names on at the Cottage. (See photo.) from across the room and the twinkle of candidates as desired.) Note: Democ- in her eyes that telegraphed her rat Woodrow Wilson won. Sally left us on May 16. Her obituary warmth and support. And as I have Published under “Laconics” on September 2, appears in the New London Day but heard many say over the years Sally 1912, in the New London Telegraph. Reprinted memories by O’Neillians are more Pavetti was the Countess of the personal. Lois MacDonald, co-curator in Sanborn & Clark, Gallup and Gelb. Full Monte Cristo.” citations available from [email protected]. The Eugene O’Neill Society

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A nonprofit scholarly and professional organization devoted to the

promotion and study of the life and works of Eugene O’Neill and the drama and theatre for which his work was in large part the instigator and model.

The Eugene O’Neill Society publishes this newsletter and the scholarly journal The Eugene O’Neill Review twice each year for its members. Please direct newsletter correspondence to Secretary/Treasurer Beth Wynstra at 26 Salem End Lane, Framing- ham, MA 01702 or [email protected]. © 2016 by the Eugene O’Neill Society. All rights reserved.

Eugene O’Neill Society Page 14 May 2016