Coastal Disturbances
Memorabilia Available
Coastal Disturbances
by Tina Howe
Coastal Disturbances is a play by Tina Howe, which premiered Off-Broadway in 1986 and transferred to Broadway. It received a Tony Award nomination as Best Play.The play is set on a private beach in Massachusetts during the last two weeks of August. Those two choices dictate much of the play - the closing of a season, the cold days coming in, the privilege of the beach members. The play is organized into two acts - five scenes in each, spread out through the two week period.
Run
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Opening & Closing Dates
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Type & Version
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Theatre
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Nov 19, 1986-? 45 Perf
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Play / Original
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McGinn-Cazale Theatre, NY, USA
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Mar 4, 1987 - Jan 3, 1988
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Play / Original
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Circle in the Square Theatre, NY, USA
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Casts
Broadway Opening Night Cast
| Jonas Abry | Winston Took | |
| Annette Bening | Holly Dancer | |
| Timothy Daly | Leo Hart | |
| Jean DeBaer | Ariel Took | |
| Angela Goethals | Miranda Bigelow | |
| Ronald Guttman | Andre Sor | |
| Heather MacRae | Faith Bigelow | |
| Rosemary Murphy | M. J. Adams | |
| Addison Powell | Dr. Hamilton Adams |
Off Broadway Opening Night Cast
| Name | Role |
| Jonas Arby | Winston Took |
| Annette Bening | Holly Dancer |
| Joanne Camp | Ariel Took |
| Timothy Daly | Leo Hart |
| Angela Goethals | Miranda Bigelow |
| Ronald Guttman | Andre Sor |
| Heather Mac Rae | Faith Bigelow |
| Rosemary Murphy | M.J. Adams |
| Addison Powell | Dr. Hamilton Adams |
Production History
The Second Stage Theatre production opened at the McGinn-Cazale Theatre on November 19, 1986 and ran for 45 performances. Directed by Carole Rothman, the cast featured Annette Bening (Holly Dancer), and Timothy Daly (Leo Hart).
It transferred to Broadway at the Circle in the Square Theatre on February 14, 1987 in previews, opening on March 4, 1987 and closing on January 3, 1988, after 350 performances and 20 previews. The off-Broadway director and most of the cast, including Bening and Daly, were in the Broadway production.
Critical Reception
In his New York Times review, Frank Rich wrote: “In his brilliant lighting…the designer Dennis Parichy has captured the entire spectrum of weather known to habitues of New England beaches in August. As written by Ms. Howe and acted by one of the finer casts in New York, the emotional cloudbursts, no less than the meteorological, can take the breath away.”[1]
Awards and Nominations
- Tony Awards 1987
- Best Play (nominee)
- Director (Play) - Carole Rothman (nominee)
- Featured Actress (Play) - Annette Benning (nominee)
- Theatre World Award 1987
- Annette Bening (winner)
- Timothy Daly (winner)
- Drama Desk Award 1987
- Outstanding Director of a Play (nominee)
- Outstanding Lighting Design (nominee)
References
- Rich, Frank.“STAGE: FROM TINA HOWE, ‘COASTAL DISTURBANCES'”,“New York Times”, November 20, 1986
External Links
- Internet Broadway Database for “Coastal Disturbances”, 1987
- Lortel Archives, Internet Off-Broadway Database listing, “Coastal Disturbances”, 1986
- A CurtainUp Berkshires Review “Coastal Disturbances”, review of regional production, July 14, 2006
Category: Play
