Veronica's Room is a theatrical play

Play (theatre)

A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...

 by Ira Levin

Ira Levin

Ira Levin was an American author, dramatist and songwriter.-Professional life:Levin attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa...

 (an author best known for Rosemary's Baby

Rosemary's Baby

Rosemary's Baby is a 1967 best-selling horror novel by Ira Levin, his second published book. Major elements of the story were inspired by the publicity surrounding the Church of Satan of Anton LaVey which had been founded in 1966.-Plot summary:...

), originally mounted in 1973.

Plot

The play opens with an elderly couple inviting a young girl (Susan) and her date, whom they had spotted while dining at a restaurant, to visit the bedroom of a dead girl (Veronica) that they knew and who looked like Susan.

The young pair accept the invitation, led by curiosity to see a photograph that shows Veronica's likeness. Before long, they are trapped in an unexpected situation that leads to a dramatic ending.

Original play

At its original presentation in 1973, Eileen Heckart

Eileen Heckart

Eileen Heckart was an American actress of stage, screen, and television.-Early life:Heckart was born Anna Eileen Heckart in Columbus, Ohio, the daughter of Esther and Leo Herbert. She was legally adopted by her grandfather, J.W. Heckart. Her family was of Irish and German descent...

 played the elderly female, Arthur Kennedy

Arthur Kennedy (actor)

Arthur Kennedy was an American stage and film actor known for his versatility in supporting film roles and his ability to create "an exceptional honesty and naturalness on stage" especially in the original casts of Arthur Miller plays on Broadway.- Early life and education :Kennedy was born John...

 played the elderly male, Regina Baff

Regina Baff

Regina Baff is an actress, who was nominated for a Tony in 1974 for Veronica's Room.-Career:Regina Baff appeared in The West Side Waltz with Katharine Hepburn...

 played the girl (Susan), and Kipp Osborne played the young man (Susan's date).