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Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune

 

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Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune



 
 
Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune is a two-character play by Terrence McNally
Terrence McNally

Terrence McNally is an United States playwright, considered one of the leading American dramatists still writing today. In addition to four Tony Awards, McNally has received two Guggenheim Fellowships, a Rockefeller Foundation, the Lucille Lortel Award, the Hull-Warriner Award, and a citation from the American Academy of Arts and Letters....
.

It focuses on two lonely, middle-aged people whose first date ends with them tumbling into bed. Johnny is certain he has found his soul mate in Frankie. She, on the other hand, is far more cautious and disinclined to jump to conclusions. As the night unfolds, they slowly begin to reveal themselves to each other as they take tentative steps towards the possible start of a new relationship.






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Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune is a two-character play by Terrence McNally
Terrence McNally

Terrence McNally is an United States playwright, considered one of the leading American dramatists still writing today. In addition to four Tony Awards, McNally has received two Guggenheim Fellowships, a Rockefeller Foundation, the Lucille Lortel Award, the Hull-Warriner Award, and a citation from the American Academy of Arts and Letters....
.

It focuses on two lonely, middle-aged people whose first date ends with them tumbling into bed. Johnny is certain he has found his soul mate in Frankie. She, on the other hand, is far more cautious and disinclined to jump to conclusions. As the night unfolds, they slowly begin to reveal themselves to each other as they take tentative steps towards the possible start of a new relationship. The reference to "Clair de Lune
Clair de Lune

"Clair de Lune" may refer to:In literature:*"Clair de lune", a poem by Paul Verlaine*Clair de lune, a book by Guy de Maupassant...
" in the title refers to a piece of music by Debussy, the third movement of the Suite bergamasque
Suite bergamasque

The Suite bergamasque is one of the most famous piano suites by Claude Debussy. It was likely named after Paul Verlaine poem "Clair de lune", which possibly alludes to a bergamask....
, which is a key plot element.

The play, directed by Paul Benedict
Paul Benedict

'Paul Benedict' was an United States actor who made numerous appearances in television and movies beginning in the 1960s. He is probably best recognized for his roles as The Number Painter on the PBS children's show Sesame Street, and as the quirky England neighbor "List of The Jeffersons supporting characters" on the CBS sitcom The Jeff...
, opened on June 2, 1987 at Stage II of the off-Broadway
Off-Broadway

Off Broadway theater is an umbrella term for a defined set of Play , musical theater or revues performed in New York City. Originally referring to the location of a venue and its productions on a street intersecting Broadway in Manhattan's Theatre District, New York, the hub of the theater industry in the United States, the term later becam...
 Manhattan Theatre Club
Manhattan Theatre Club

The Manhattan Theatre Club is a theater club in Manhattan, New York. MTC had its first performance at New York City Center in 1984....
, where it ran for two weeks. On October 14, it opened at Stage I for a six-week run. On December 4, it transferred to the Westside Theatre
Westside Theatre

The Westside Theatre is an off-Broadway house located at 407 West 43rd Street in midtown Manhattan.Renovated in 1991, the building houses two auditoriums....
, where it remained for fifteen months. Kathy Bates
Kathy Bates

Kathleen Doyle "Kathy" Bates is an Academy Awards-, two-time Golden Globe-, and two-time Screen Actors Guild Award-winning American theatrical, film and television actress, and a stage and television director....
 and Kenneth Welsh
Kenneth Welsh

Kenneth Welsh, Order of Canada is a Canada film and television actor . He is known to Twin Peaks fans as the multi-faced villain Windom Earle, and has more recently played the father of Katharine Hepburn in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator....
 were the original cast.

A 1991 film adaptation by McNally shortened the title to Frankie and Johnny and was a dramatic departure from the play.

After fifteen previews, the first Broadway
Broadway theatre

Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located in the Theatre District, New York in Manhattan, New York City....
 production, directed by Joe Mantello
Joe Mantello

Joseph Mantello is an American actor and director best known for his work on Broadway productions of Wicked , Take Me Out and Assassins , as well as earlier in his career being one of the original Broadway cast of Angels in America....
, opened on August 8, 2002 at the Belasco Theatre
Belasco Theatre

The Belasco Theatre is a legitimate theater Broadway theatre theatre located at 111 West 44th Street in midtown-Manhattan.Designed by architect George Keister for impresario David Belasco, the interior featured Tiffany glass lighting and ceiling panels, rich woodwork and expansive murals by American artists Everett Shinn, and a ten-room du...
, where it ran for 243 performances. Edie Falco
Edie Falco

Edith "Edie" Falco is a three-time Emmy award-winning United States television, film and stage actor, known for her lead role as Carmela Soprano on HBO's award winning hit series The Sopranos....
 and Stanley Tucci
Stanley Tucci

Stanley Tucci, Jr. is an American Golden Globe- and Emmy Award-winning, Screen Actors Guild- and Tony Award-nominated actor, writer, film producer and film director....
, who was nominated for the Tony Award
Tony Award

The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live United States theatre and are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City....
 for Best Actor in Play, were replaced by Rosie Perez
Rosie Perez

Rosa Mar?a "Rosie" P?rez is an Academy Award-nominated United States actress, dancer, choreographer and film director. She is recognized for her nasal voice and thick New York dialect....
 and Joe Pantoliano
Joe Pantoliano

Joseph Peter "Joe" Pantoliano is an American film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Ralph Cifaretto on The Sopranos, Cypher in The Matrix, Captain Howard in Bad Boys and Bad Boys II and Teddy in Memento_....
 later in the run. The production, which was nominated for a Tony for Best Revival of a Play, drew a great deal of press coverage for the performers' extended period of nudity in the first act.

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