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Born Yesterday 42nd Season • 403rd Production SEGERSTROM STAGE / OCTOBER 14 - NOVEMBER 20, 2005 David Emmes Martin Benson PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ARTISTIC DIRECTOR presents BORN YESTERDAY BY Garson Kanin SCENIC DESIGN COSTUME DESIGN LIGHTING DESIGN Michael Ganio Frances Kenny York Kennedy COMPOSER/SOUND DESIGN PRODUCTION MANAGER STAGE MANAGER Jim Ragland Jeff Gifford Randall K. Lum* DIRECTED BY Warner Shook HONORARY PRODUCERS CORPORATE PRODUCER Larry and Dee Higby Haskell & White LLP Presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. Born Yesterday • SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P1 CAST OF CHARACTERS Billie Dawn ............................................................................... Jennifer Lyon* Harry Brock ........................................................................... Richard Ziman* Paul Verrall ..................................................................... Paul Morgan Stetler* Ed Devery ................................................................................ Richard Doyle* Senator Hedges/Assistant Hotel Manager ............................. Hal Landon Jr.* Mrs. Hedges/Helen ..................................................................... Jane Macfie* Eddie Brock ........................................................................ Alan Blumenfeld* Bellhop/Barber .............................................................................. Dale Jones* Bellhop/Bootblack/Waiter ................................................... Derek Armstrong Manicurist .................................................................................. Kacie Brown* Herself ............................................................................................ Bella Luna SETTING: The scene is Washington D.C. Time: 1946 Act I: September Act II: About two months later Act III: Later that night LENGTH Approximately two hours and 15 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission. PRODUCTION STAFF Assistant Stage Manager ................................................. Chrissy Church* Casting .............................................................................. Joanne DeNaut Dramaturg ................................................................ Linda Sullivan Baity Fight Choreographer .............................................................. Ken Merckx Stage Management Intern ............................................. Andrew Metzroth Assistant Lighting Designer ........................................... Michael Schrupp Costume Design Assistant .................................................... Merilee Ford Additional Costume Staff .................. Bronwen Burton, Catherine Esera Stacey Nezda, Peg Oquist, Swantjie Tuohino ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ACT Theatre for their assistance with props and costumes. Please refrain from unwrapping candy or making other noises that may disturb surrounding patrons. The use of cameras and recorders in the theatre is prohibited. Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the theatre. Cellular phones, beepers and watch alarms should be turned off or set to non-audible mode during the performance. * Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers. Official Airline Media Partner P2 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • Born Yesterday Hooray for Garson Kanin’s ‘Hollywood’ n 1974, playwright Garson Kanin published a tanta- “I don’t think you should do that. It doesn’t lizing personal chronicle of the glamour guys and work out. Every director needs a writer and every gals who populated Tinsel Town in its heyday. The writer needs a director. And they both need a produc- Ibook’s title says it all—Hollywood: Stars and Starlets, er!” Tycoons and Flesh-Peddlers, Moviemakers and Money- “Well,” Kanin huffed, “it worked out pretty well makers, Frauds and Geniuses, Hopefuls and Has- this time.” Beens, Great Lovers and Sex Symbols. “Never mind this time,” Goldwyn said scornfully. Kanin arrived in Los Angeles in 1937 as an “odd- “I’m talking about a lifetime.” looking, 24-year-old bundle of nerves who had been a “Okay,” Kanin said, remembering that argument high school dropout, a mediocre with this man was fruitless. musician, a burlesque stooge, a “I love the theatre. If stock clerk at Macy’s, a drama stu- there’s one thing I love in New dent, a mildly successful actor, and York it’s the theatre in New York. the director of a Broadway flop.” I always loved the theatre. Even as One of the first people he encoun- a kid I would go. The peanut Itered in Hollywood was the leg- gallery. Sarah Bernhardt, once. endary Sam Goldwyn, who And Richard Mansfield. What a promised him a weekly paycheck star. Modjeska. She was Polish. and a chance to learn the movie And Nazimova. She wasn’t Pol- business at the foot of the master. ish. The theatre is great when Many years later, after having es- it’s good. Now about your tablished himself as a talented and high- play. I’m sorry to say this, ly sought-after independent writer and but I don’t think it will ever director, Kanin was summoned for an au- make a picture.” dience with Goldwyn. “He still thinks I “You don’t?” Kanin work for him!” Kanin marveled, recalling asked. Lillian Hellman’s famous pronouncement: “No,” said the great “To understand Sam, you must realize that man, shaking his head he regards himself as a nation!” with genuine distress. “In According to Kanin’s account in Garson Kanin the first place, it’s dirty. I Hollywood, Goldwyn began their meeting mean censorable. This man with, “I hear at Columbia they’re making Born Yester- living with this girl not married. And you can’t have a day. You know. Your play. I want to tell you some- crooked Senator in a movie, f’Chrissake! Your ending thing.” He paused, looking grave. is no good, either. You’ve got your two stars and in “Oh Christ,” thought Kanin. “How am I going to the end you split them up. Audiences hate that. No, I handle this?” know I’m right. It’s no picture. Are you sore? Be- “I like that play. I saw it. I am very, very proud cause I express my views? Why is it people can’t of you. It’s a fine piece of work. Very strong. And stand the truth?” very American. Yes, you turned out to be some kid.” “The fact that it’s your opinion, Mr. Goldwyn, There were tears in his eyes. “I’m really proud of you. doesn’t make it the truth.” I mean it.” Momentarily stunned, Goldwyn quickly changed And Kanin knew he did. the subject and never mentioned Born Yesterday “Who directed it?” Goldwyn asked. again. One can only imagine his reaction when the “Why, I did,” Kanin answered. movie version of the play that was “no picture” went “You directed it yourself?” asked Goldwyn again, on to win accolades for Garson Kanin and his collabo- astonished. rators, eventually taking its place among the classic “Yes.” film comedies of all time. Born Yesterday •SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P3 Giving Birth to a Classic arson Kanin’s Born Yesterday is an all-American with hiring Jean Arthur. comedy that was conceived abroad. While sta- Like many plays, Born Yesterday was still very tioned in London during World War II, Kanin much a work in progress when the production opened Gbegan writing a play for his friend, movie star in New Haven for its first week of previews, with simi- Jean Arthur, that combined elements of Shaw’s Pyg- lar engagements slated to follow in Boston and malion with a comical exposé of governmental corrup- Philadelphia. Local critics gave the play mixed reviews, tion. The premise of the piece was to show that any noting that the comedy was uneven and the story fell one person has the power to facilitate change, and in apart halfway through the second act. While Arthur’s order to illustrate this point dramatically, Kanin created performance drew a rather tepid response, newcomer a protagonist, Billie Dawn, who is unpolished, unedu- Douglas was praised as a revelation. cated, and unaccomplished. Trouble was also brewing behind the scenes as Returning to New York after the war, Kanin Arthur’s list of demands and complaints grew daily. found a likely producer in Max Gordon, who was suf- She particularly hated the fact that her co-star (whom fering through a dry spell despite she clearly detested) was getting having a number of Broadway better notices, plus she was insist- hits under his belt, including The Jean Arthur ing on major script changes to ac- GBand Wagon, The Women, and commodate her “acting style.” My Sister Eileen. Gordon thought After only a few performances, Kanin’s script had potential, but Kanin received a note from his he was leery of working with former friend asking him to per- Jean Arthur, whose reputation as manently replace her. a difficult Hollywood diva preced- At this point, the chances of ed her. Coincidentally, Arthur Born Yesterday ever reaching herself was less than thrilled at Broadway seemed remote at best the prospect of playing Billie and gossip columnists picked up Dawn, but at Kanin’s insistence, the scent of desperation as the she agreed to take the part with show headed for Boston. Some- the following demands: $2,500 how Max Gordon managed to per week plus a percentage of the convince Arthur to remain in the gross, a personal hairdresser, a cast and Kanin began to surrepti- chauffeured limousine, and final tiously search for another actress. approval over advertising and the Among the front-runners were hiring of key personnel. June Havoc and Kanin’s wife, The play’s leading male character was a gruff and Ruth Gordon, neither of whom were available. Five uncouth junk tycoon named Harry Brock, whose abra- others were approached about
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