OF MICE AND MEN, the enduring American classic by Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck, will open at The Stagecrafters on Friday, November 27, 2015. In this taut drama, set in 1930s America, two itinerant farmhands search for ranch work in California’s Salinas River Valley, hoping to collect enough money to fulfill a dream of owning a farmstead … George, quick-witted and full of ambition; and his constant companion, Lennie, man-child, a little boy in a big body of enormous strength. This beautiful and compassionate portrayal of the complex bond between these two individuals, profiled against the background of the harsh realities of rural life in Depression-era America, is the playwright’s masterful evocation of the dreams and aspirations of the common man.
John Steinbeck (1902-1968), became widely renowned for his novels and short stories, including Tortilla Flat (1935) and The Grapes of Wrath (1939), winner of the 1940 Pulitzer Prize, Cannery Row (1945), and East of Eden (1952). OF MICE AND MEN (1937) was published first as a novella, then re-worked by the author into a theatrical piece; it was the first of his works to be staged on Broadway. It opened on November 27, 1937, running for 207 performances, and in 1938 was chosen as Best Play by the New York Drama Critics’ Circle. Two well-received revivals were produced on Broadway, in 1974 and 2014. The play is a timeless expression of Steinbeck’s passion, as evinced in one critic’s commentary: “… [notwithstanding] the starkness of the fable, every one will admire the honesty of the author’s mind and the clarity of its statement.” (The New York Times).
Production performance dates are November 27 thru December 13: Thurs, Fri, Sat @ 8 pm, Sun @ 2 pm. Tickets are available at $17.00 Online (no service charge), $20.00 At-door. (Thu. eve performances 2-for-$25 Online, 2-for-$30 At-door). Group and student rates available. The box office opens 45 minutes before each performance. Info: 215-247-8881. Reservations: 215-247-9913. The theater is located in Chestnut Hill at 8130 Germantown Ave. Visit website for details: www.thestagecrafters.org.
Special NOTE: “Meet the Cast and Director” Q & A sessions will be held following the performance on Friday, Dec. 4. All attendees at that performance are welcome to stay and join in the discussion.
Theater/Organization The Stagecrafters
Theater/Organization Website: http://www.thestagecrafters.org
Theater/Organization Address: 8130 Germantown Avenue Chestnut Hill Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19118 (Map It)
Theater/Organization Phone: (215) 247-8881
