The Misanthrope and Other Plays

Stage productions

There have been five known productions on Broadway:

  • Richard Mansfield starred as Alceste in the very first Broadway production April 10–15, 1905 at the New Amsterdam Theatre.[3]
  • A production in French was performed at the Winter Garden Theatre February 7–9, 1957.[4]
  • Richard Easton starred as Alceste at the Lyceum Theatre October 9, 1968 - April 26, 1969 with Brian Bedford as Acaste, Christina Pickles as Celimene, Sydney Walker as Philinte, Keene Curtis as Oronte in a production directed by Stephen Porter using the Richard Wilbur translation.[5]
  • Alec McCowen starred as Alceste at the St. James Theatre March 12 - May 31, 1975 with Nicholas Clay as Acaste, Diana Rigg as Celimene and Robert Eddison as Philinte in a production directed by John Dexter using an adaptation by Tony Harrison.[6]
  • Brian Bedford returned to Broadway to star as Alceste at the Circle in the Square Theatre January 27 - March 27, 1983 with Carole Shelley as Arsinoe, Mary Beth Hurt as Celimene and Stanley Tucci as Dubois in a production directed by Stephen Porter using the Richard Wilbur translation.[7]

The Misanthrope was first performed at the Stratford Festival in 1981. The most recent production ran from August 12 - October 29, 2011 at the Festival Theatre using the Richard Wilbur translation; Ben Carlson starred as Alceste and Sara Topham as Celimene. Brian Bedford was originally slated to direct and perform as Oronte, but was forced to step down due to illness, so the production was directed instead by David Grindley.


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