How is the dialogue different in the opening orientation of the film 25 minutes, 43 seconds and. Simon premiered the show to winstonsalem on december 31, 1990 at the stevens center for the performing arts. Mercedes ruehls character acts weirdly just for effect far too often, which contrasts with her serious scenes. By americas great comic playwright, this memory play is set in yonkers in 1942. Bella is a sweet but mentally slow and highly excitable woman who longs to marry the usher at a local movie house so she can escape the oppressive household. Susan nichols, jim poe, annette delligratti, lorus hawbecker, micah laird and adam brawer. Set in 1942 yonkers, new york, jay and arty, two young boys whose mother has recently died, are forced to live with their stoic, but difficult jewish grandmother for the summer. This quiz is a final assessment for neil simons play lost in yonkers. Lost in yonkers script transcript from the screenplay.
An apartment above a candy store in yonkers is banality squared. But what really makes the film work is the performances. In order to pay off medical bills that his wifes death has. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly transcribed using the screenplay andor viewings of lost in yonkers. The main conflct in lost in yonkers revolves around eddies debt, and the necessity of leaving his boys with his mother in order to earn the money to pay the debt back. Lost in yonkers the arctic playhouse, west warwick, ri. Lost in yonkers is a 1993 american comedydrama film adaptation of neil simon s pulitzer prize winning play of the same name, directed by martha coolidge. Nov 16, 2008 bella, louie, momma, gert, jay and arty.
Richard dreyfuss, mercedes ruehl and irene worth star in the acclaimed film adaptation of neil simons pulitzer prizewinning comedy lost in yonkers. Grandma is so sharp she can smell the salt licked off. Their mother has died and their father thinks he might be able to find work in the war industries of the south, and so jay and arty go to live with their grandmother in yonkers in the opening moments of neil simons lost in yonkers. It has been staged multiple times around the country since its original seven hundred eightyperformance broadway run. Place premiered, the center for the performing arts winstonsalem, nc, united states. Lost in yonkers is considered neil simons best work for good reason. The auditioning actresses should be able to play 3540 years old and theyll only need to prepare for cold readings from the script. Worth and ruehl reprised their stage roles, and richard dreyfuss was cast as louie. Lost in yonkers was first presented by emanuel azenberg at the center for the performing arts in winstonsalem, north carolina, on december 31, 1990. The play premiered at the center for the performing arts in winstonsalem, north carolina, on december 31, 1990, before moving to broadway at the richard rodgers theatre on february 21, 1991. Lost in yonkers film simon adapted his play for a 1993 feature film directed by martha coolidge, and starring brad stoll as jay. The story takes place in the year 1942 and even though yonkers is the city in the title, it actually starts off in the bronx. Mar 26, 2012 after experiencing the warmly satisfying revival of lost in yonkers at the beckett theater it seems inconceivable that it has taken two decades for this pulitzer and tonywinning 1991 neil. As customary for most of the filmed versions of his plays, playwright neil simon penned the screenplay for this movie of his 1991 play lost in yonkers which had.
Lost in yonkers, our march show, has lost our gert. Ive decided to go away with the usher from the movies. So we will be holding emergency auditions to fill the role on sunday, february 11th at the theater beginning at 3pm. Lost in yonkers 1993 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. Character description, analysis and casting breakdown for gert kurnitz from lost in yonkers. During the 1940s, jay mike damus and arty brad stoll find their lives turned upside down when their father moves south for work, leaving them with their nononsense grandmother irene worth and their loving but absentminded spinster aunt, bella mercedes ruehl. There is a possibility, subscribed to by everybody but never quite put into words, that she is mentally ill. Lost in yonkers is a 1993 american comedydrama film adaptation of neil simon s pulitzer prizewinning play of the same name, directed by martha coolidge. Lost in yonkers is a carefully rendered, ultimately unexciting screen version of neil simons 1991 pulitzer prizewinning play. Bellas brother, louie is a small time, toughtalking hoodlum who is on the run, while sister, gert suffers from a breathing problem whose cause is more psychological than physical. Set in new york during world war ii, martha coolidges film adaptation of neil simons awardwinning play stars mike damus and brad stoll as arty and jay, teenage brothers who are shipped off to. It is a serious family drama that carries echoes of classics of the american stage, such as tennessee williamss the glass menagerie, while still displaying mr. Set in yonkers, new york in 1942, two boys, aged and 16, must spend one year with their austere and demanding grandmother.
But the film of simons broadway play has a special. This production subsequently moved to broadway, opening at the richard rogers theater in new york. Their desperate father, eddie, works as a traveling salesman to pay off debts incurred following the death of his wife. A good example of fleshing out a single set play into a film would be steel magnolias. The pic seems too calculating and doesnt have the same stunning effect as the play. To be lost in yonkers is thus to be trapped in a humdrum world, a place without the eyecatching landmarks that would help a traveler find his way. Neil simons classic is brilliantly written and the direction is so simple, yet very subtle. With a cast including richard dreyfuss, merchedes rheul, and irene worth, this movie has comedy written all over it. Set during world war ii, lost in yonkers tells the story of two brothers who are sent to live with their. It is a hot day in august, and jay and arty kurnitz sit waiting for their. Story of a domineering old womans tyranny over two generations of.
Irene worth plays grandma a hard, bitter, miserable old lady whose five children each have something wrong with them as a result of a miserable. Lost in yonkers ruehl plays aunt bella, the daffy, movieloving younger daughter of the formidable grandma irene worth. Lost in yonkers 1993 during the 1940s, jay mike damus and arty brad stoll find their lives turned upside down when their father moves south for work, leaving them with their nononsense. A coming of age tale that focuses on brothers arty and jay, left in the care of their grandma kurnitz and aunt bella in yonkers, new york. Jay and arty brad stoll, mike damus have expanded the search for their grandmother. Lost in yonkers plot summary act 1, scene 1 lost in yonkers begins in the apartment above kurnitzs kandy store, where grandma and bella kurnitz live.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Grandma seems to rule the roost with an iron fist, objecting to bellas later hours and the teens indolent ways. Lost in yonkers is originally a play by neil simon, adapted for the silver screen. Released april 15th, 1993, lost in yonkers stars richard dreyfuss, mercedes ruehl, irene worth, david strathairn the pg movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 52 min, and received a score of out of. Dont let people miss on a great quote from the lost in yonkers movie add it here. Lost in yonkers original broadway cast 1991 broadway. Finally, the lost in yonkers script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the neil simon movie starring richard dreyfuss and mercedes ruehl.
Grandma irene worth informs jay and arty brad stoll, mike damus she will not board them while their dad jack laufer travels to earn money to pay debts incurred during their dead mother s illness, nutty aunt bella mercedes ruehl outwitting her, in neil simon s lost in yonkers. Lost in yonkers broadway, lost in yonkers original cast list, original cast, current cast. Still, love has found her and she wants to marry an usher at a local movie theater. It is a hot day in august, and jay and arty kurnitz sit waiting for their father. She has a breathing condition which causes her to suck in her breath in the. The show is a coming of age tale that focuses on brothers, artie and jay, left in the care of their grandmother kurnitz and aunt bella in yonkers, ny. In lost in yonkers, based on neil simons play, presents a hilarious and sometimes sorrowful array of diverse characters who come together to love, hate, or escape. It was the first theatrical feature film to be edited on avid media composer. Lost in yonkers study guide contains a biography of neil simon, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.
The show was a hit on broadway and won both the pulitzer prize for drama and the tony award for best play in 1991. After a triumphant run on broadway, the film adaptation of lost in yonkers was completely snubbed at all of the major film awards ceremonies. Nearly every joke, theme or plot turn in lost in yonkers is laboriously telegraphed, to the point where even a playful conversation about a bette davis movie is drenched in pregnant meaning and. The staged play was absolutely fabulous, and i agree that the movie is a wonderful adaptation of the play. This is a fairly standard opening for simon, who often sees life through the wideopen eyes of teenage boys. Their mother has died and their father eddie needs to earn some money to pay a loan shark the money he borrowed to pay the hospital bills for his wife who died of cancer.
Lost in yonkers 1993 stream and watch online moviefone. It stars irene worth, mercedes ruehl, and richard dreyfuss. In the 1993 film version of neil simons pulitzer prizewinning play, 15yearold jay brad stoll and yearold arty mike damus are sent to live with their. Debuting at the richard rodgers theatre in 1990, lost in yonkers went on to win four tony awards, including best play, as well as the pulitzer prize, and tells the moving drama about the cruelties and painful memories that scar a family. Eddies mother, the boys grandmother, is heartless and cold and during.
The theatre company of saugus is excited to announce its winter 2017 production, lost in yonkers, the comic drama by neil simon. Character description, analysis and casting breakdown for gert kurnitz from lost in yonkers join stageagent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. Mercedes reuhel and irene worth played the two lead roles on broadway, and no doubt, their inclusion in the film allowed the spirit of the play to carry over to it. I was lucky to have seen lost in yonkers on broadway back in 92. Set in new york during world war ii, martha coolidges film adaptation of neil simons awardwinning play stars mike damus and brad stoll as arty and jay.
Learning to love their embittered jewish grandmother while suffering mistreatment at her hands, two young boys learn to cope with adverse circumstances when they find themselves lost in yonkers. Its 1942 and jake and artys father has to take a job on the road to save up enough money so they can afford their own home, so he leaves them at his mothers home in yonkers, new york. Grandma is a severe, frightfully intimidating immigrant who terrified her children as they were growing up, damaging each of them to. Lost in yonkers begins in the apartment above kurnitzs kandy store, where grandma and bella kurnitz live. Lost in yonkers is a cousin to the similar and earlier brighton beach memoirs. Simons tony and pulitzer prizewinning play centers around two brothers, arty and jay, who live with their grandmother and their mentally challenged aunt bella, while their father travels, desperately trying to scrape enough money together while working as a salesman to pay off. The dialogue written for the film version of lost in. Gert is one of grandma kurnitzs daughters, aunt to jay and arty, and sister to bella, louie, and eddie.
Rise theatres current show is neil simons 1991 pulitzer prize winning play, lost in yonkers. Bella 35 bella grew up with an unnamed learning disability and, in some ways, is childlike. The movie is supposedly set in 1942 but some of the cars seen in the movie. This is archive purposes only and uploaded because its in true hd 1080p. Before he leaves, arty asks him if hes in trouble, and louie tells him, i was never not in trouble. Lost in yonkers, by neil simon, directed by philip cusack for sydney theatre company, melbourne theatre company and state theatre company of south australia, at the canberra theatre, 8pm until december 3. The question and answer section for lost in yonkers is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. Lost in yonkers, by neil simon, at beckett theater the. The show is set in 1942 and it examines the relationships in the emotionally crippled kurnitz family. Lost in yonkers 1993 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Louie goes to take a shower, but asks arty to tell jay to bring him a coffee and a doughnut, saying that hes going to leave that night. Richard dreyfuss in lost in yonkers 1993 mike damus and brad stoll in.
Lost in yonkers is a 1993 american comedydrama film adaptation of neil simons pulitzer prizewinning play of the same name, directed by martha coolidge. Lost in yonkers click on image above to see full program for the show. When bella falls in love and decides to get married, the two boys witness the titanic struggle that ensues between bella and grandma, who is. We are going to see tons of movies and open the restaurant he always alternate ending to lost in yonkers play teen ink. Great memorable quotes and script exchanges from the lost in yonkers movie on. Bellas beau johnny, an unseen character in the play, was portrayed by david strathairn.
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