Tea and Sympathy

$2.75 Tea and Sympathy ---------------- A PLAY BY ROBERT ANDERSON "Restores our theatre to an art again . . . A poignant drama about the helplessness of the individual in opposition to the mass . . . An uncommonly discerning study of character, stamped with the originality of a talented writer . . . Mr. Anderson has written a troubled idyll with a light touch and a wealth of understanding." BROOKS ATKINSON, New York Times "Tea and Sympathy rates with the best in our theatre . . . A tender, luminous and illuminating drama of youth." JOHN CHAPMAN, New York Daily News "A triumph . . . The last few minutes, delicate and difficult to act, held the audience in the longest breathless silence I ever recall seeing in a theatre." WILLIAM HAWKINS, New York World-Telegram & Sun "A moving and effective drama, with a sensitive feeling for character. Mr. Anderson and his play are valuable additions to the season." RICHARD WATTS, New York Post Jacket illustration by Clifford Strohl Associates Random House, New York Tea and Sympathy by Robert Anderson COPYRIGHTED AS AN UNPUBLISHED WORK, 1953, BY ROBERT WOODRUFF ANDERSON COPYRIGHT, 1953, BY ROBERT ANDERSON All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in New York by Random House, Inc., and simultaneously in Toronto, Canada, by Random House of Canada, Limited. Second Printing CAUTION: Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that TEA AND SYMPATHY, being fully protected under the copyright laws of the United States, the British Empire including the Dominion of Canada, and all other countries of the Copyright Union, is subject to royalty. All rights including professional, amateur, motion picture, recitation, lecturing, public reading, radio and television broadcasting, and the rights of translation into foreign languages, are strictly reserved. Particular emphasis is laid on the question of readings, permission for which must be obtained in writing from the Author's representative. All inquiries should be addressed to the Author's representative, Liebling-Wood, 551 Fifth Avenue, New York 17. Photographs by Slim Aarons MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA This is for PHYLLIS whose spirit is everywhere in this play and in my life. AUTHOR'S NOTE I would like to record here my tremendous debt of gratitude to those persons who helped bring Tea and Sympathy so glowingly alive on stage. It is perhaps not a good selling point for a published volume of a play to say that a playwright writes a play for the theater, for the actors, the director, the designer. But he does. And when he is as brilliantly served by these artists as I have been, he feels a miracle has been brought to pass. It is not often, I think, that a playwright can say of his produced play, this is the way I wanted it. This is the way I dreamed it would be. I can say it. And I can say it because of the devotion to this play of so many creative and wonderful people. R.A. TEA AND SYMPATHY was first presented by the Playwrights' Company, in association with Mary K. Frank, at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, on September 30, 1953, with the following cast: (IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE) LAURA REYNOLDS Deborah Kerr LILLY SEARS Florida Friebus TOM LEE John Kerr DAVID HARRIS Richard Midgley RALPH Alan Sues AL Dick York STEVE Arthur Steuer BILL REYNOLDS Leif Erickson PHIL Richard Franchot HERBERT LEE John McGovern PAUL Yale Wexler Directed by Elia Kazan Setting and lighting by Jo Mielziner Clothes designed by Anna Hill Johnstone



 

 

 

 

SCENES

 

 

Act One

 

 

A dormitory in a boys' school in New England.

 

Late afternoon of a day early in June.

 

 

Act Two

 

 

Scene I. Two days later.

 

Scene II. Eight-thirty Saturday night.

 

 

Act Three

 

 

The next afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACT ONE

 

 

The scene is a small old Colonial house which is now being used as a dormitory in a boys' school in New England.

 

 

On the ground floor at stage right we see the housemaster's study. To stage left is a hall and stairway which leads up to the boys' rooms. At a half-level on stage left is one of the boys' rooms.

 

 

The housemaster's study is a warm and friendly room, rather on the dark side, but when the lamps are lighted, there are cheerful pools of light.