The Man Who Came to Dinner
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Acting
Forum Discription: Q&A about auditions, character development and other aspects of the craft
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1357
Printed Date: 5/16/24 at 1:07pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: The Man Who Came to Dinner
Posted By: Juliet
Subject: The Man Who Came to Dinner
Date Posted: 4/12/05 at 9:53pm
| Could someone give me the cast list and a short description of each character in "the man who came to dinner"? It would be greatly appreciated. |
Replies:
Posted By: Kathy S
Date Posted: 4/13/05 at 2:05am
|
This is a big job -- this is a BIG cast. A better way to approach this question is to go to a Samuel French catalog and look it up...(I'm pretty sure that is the company that handles the rights.) You can probably find the information on their website. It is still a very funny show, although many of the 1930's references seem terribly obscure. |
Posted By: JCCTony
Date Posted: 4/13/05 at 9:53am
| sam french has jack about it....I think that's why the poster asked. I could only find movie info. Best thing would be to just order one script and read it. |
Posted By: countbio
Date Posted: 4/14/05 at 8:49am
|
Dramatists has the show...web site has basic cast info and plot summary. http://www.dramatists.com - www.dramatists.com Good luck, Countbio
|
Posted By: Juliet
Date Posted: 4/17/05 at 12:55am
| Thank you so much! |
Posted By: Dustmac
Date Posted: 5/25/05 at 5:49pm
| We did that play at the Ruffin Theater three or four years ago. I played the character of Bert Jefferson. It is a large cast and I was deeply concerned that we were going to have to cancel it due to some technical problems. I would make sure I had a solid three months of rehearsal. Fortunately, we were able to pull it off but it didn't do that well at our box office. It's a funny play but one of the comments I getting was some of the references to things of the past. There were a lot of jokes that went over people's heads, so watch out for that. Good luck |
Posted By: NickH.
Date Posted: 6/17/05 at 9:17am
|
The basic problem with the Man who came to Dinner is the fact that it
was written to spoof Alexander Woollcott, a personality of the pre WWII
era. Besides your great grandmother, is there any one else who knows
who Alexander Woollcott was? And do they care? That robs the play of its main voyeristic appeal (what's Alexander Woollcott really like?) for a modern audience and leaves only a rather lame comedy and low farce burdened with a whole bunch of one-line characters. ------------- If all the world is a stage, what am I doing in the wings? |
Posted By: dougb
Date Posted: 6/17/05 at 11:36am
| There are many references to people that don't work today. How many people remember Katherine Cornell? Booth Tarkington? Zazu Pitts? If the audience doesn't remember them, the humor is lost. |
Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 6/17/05 at 12:06pm
|
I agree wholeheartedly - it's one of those plays (like "Li'l Abner,"
"Oh, Kay!," - and the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, for that matter!) that requires a knowledge of the history of the period in order to even get the jokes - let alone think that they're funny. When plays are about specific people in popular culture, it's like watching the political satires on EARLY Saturday Night Live re-runs ... who knows what the audience is laughing at???? |
Posted By: Kathy S
Date Posted: 6/17/05 at 12:18pm
|
I was in that play about the same time that tristanrobin was in butterflies are free...110 years ago in high school...most of the references to the pop culture icons of the 30s had to be explained to us, too, but we still thought it was funny. By the way, how many of those present understand the humor in Shakespeare without any explanation? |
Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 6/17/05 at 1:14pm
It depends on the skill level of the performers/directors 
However, there is a good chance that people might check up on a Shakespearean play before going to see it, in order to ensure they're not going to be lost - much less so, with a lightweight 20th century situation comedy/satire. IMO, of course LOL. |
Posted By: countbio
Date Posted: 8/08/05 at 4:07pm
|
I directed :The Man WhoCame To Dinner for high school students a few (5?) years ago. They had to have some things explained and they were sent to research some things (if your line contains a reference, name, etc. you do not know...look it up and tell us all). They got it and thought it was funny. They used their new found knowledge to fine ways to sell some of the jokes and help the audience "get" more of it. We put a little background info. in the program as well as a list of "terms" (names etc.) that were mentioned. Went over very well with all. Don't give up on well written plays just because you don't know every reference off the top of your head.
Good Luck, Countbio |
Posted By: POB14
Date Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:10am
|
I'm playing Metz in a production this September. I'll report on the audience's reaction. Yes, there are plenty of dated references, but the essential comic situation (The World's Most Famous Butthole has to stay at an ordinary family's house) remains unchanged. I think it's funny even if you miss most of the references. ------------- POB Old Bugger, Curmudgeon, and Antisocial B**tard |
Posted By: Juror #3
Date Posted: 10/13/06 at 3:56pm
|
I disagree with those who maintain the show is dated. Some of the references should be updated, granted, but it is still a sharp, sarcastic, witty script. It makes wonderful fun of small town types and several typical celebrity types as well. And knowing who Alexander Woolcott is or was irrelevant. Whiteside can be any self-important, insensitive jackass, who has gained the power to make or break careers. No one likes him but virtually all must pander to him. Of course, in the best interest of comedy, he does have some sense of decency when he hurts the only person he truly cares about outside himself. I think if you are doing the show today, think Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Laura, Geraldo Rivera, any of that type of "media darling." I'm sure I could add even better names to the list if I took a couple of hours to contemplate it, but I think you get the drift. By the way, I played Whiteside; it is my second favorite part of all time. All of you should be able to recognize the first. ------------- Juror #3 |
Posted By: red diva
Date Posted: 10/13/06 at 4:08pm
|
I agree with juror#3, and not just because he's my hubby. The characters are universal types who are funny standing on their own merits, without any knowledge of whom they are spoofing. Granted, audiences contemporary to the play when it was first presented had more of an understanding of the specific satire, but I think modern audiences enjoy it on a completely different level. Our theatre's audience base is largely blue-haired, and believe me, they got the references and enjoyed them. The younger crowd laughed just as loudly, but at the general situations and comedy. And if you have any old movie buffs in the cast or audience, they will understand and enjoy the references. ------------- "I've worked long and hard to earn the right to be called Diva!" |
Posted By: B-M-D
Date Posted: 10/14/06 at 4:10pm
|
I'd have to agree with you, red. I was fortuantate enough to AD a production and had a very generous director that allowed me to direct act 3. I'd strongly suggest researching the heck out of any references, words or phrases that aren't quite relavent to a contemporary audience. Not so much that the audience understands them but so that the actors can convey the "flavor" (little did I realize before then that Poly Adler's was a house of ill-repute). And for Banjo be sure to watch and listen to as many Marx Brothers movies as you can, especially Groucho and Harpo. You also need exceptionally talented actors, which we fortuantely had. We have our share of blue hairs at our ct as well but even for them most of the references were a very dim memory at best.
------------- BD 
"Dying is easy, comedy is hard." |
Posted By: Sueshoo
Date Posted: 10/15/06 at 3:42pm
|
As a general rule I do not think that shows like this are outdated. I also think that updating them is wrong. In my opinion, in alot of cases they were written as a commentary on "the times" and in the fashion and language of the time. What is wrong with us learning the history - doing some good old fashioned homework wether as a director, actor, costumer, etc. That is part of the challenge, fun and the magic!
------------- Susan Life is not a Dress Rehearsal |
Posted By: Juror #3
Date Posted: 1/16/07 at 6:11pm
|
I do. I do. I know the references in The Man Who Came to Dinner, knew them before I played Whiteside. I also laugh at references in Shakespeare. If we start picking plays on the basis of references, soon we will have to pass on most Neil Simon, Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, etc. plays. C'mon guys, let's give the audience a little credit for knowing some of our national, cultural and artisitic history, as well as the major writers of all time. If we need to educate the audience a little, let's do it. Such efforts can be rewarding and fun. ------------- Juror #3 |