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The Heiress

Full-Length Play, Drama  /  6w, 3m

By Ruth Goetz and Augustus Goetz
Suggested by the Henry James Novel Washington Square

A story about love, betrayal and a coming of age for a young woman in the 1850s. This enduring drama has played on Broadway five times!

The Heiress

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    6w, 3m
  • Duration
    Duration
    More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Adaptation (Literature), Period
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult
Accolades
Accolades

  • Winner! Four 1995 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Play
    Winner! 1995 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Play

Details

Summary

This enduring drama has played on Broadway five times! A story of love, betrayal and a coming of age for a young woman in the 1850s.

Catherine Sloper, a shy young girl from a rich family, falls desperately in love with a dashing young fortune hunter. When he proposes to her for financial gain, Catherine naively accepts, none the wiser. Though Catherine’s father sees through the scheme, his daughter will not be convinced. When the truth does come to light, Catherine finds within herself a quiet strength that alters the course of her life.

History

The Heiress premiered on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre on 29 September 1947. Directed by Jed Harris, the production featured Fiona O’Shiel, Basil Rathbone, Patricia Collinge, Wendy Hiller and Katharine Raht. The Heiress has been revived on Broadway four times – at New York City Center, the Broadhurst Theatre, the Cort Theatre and the Walter Kerr Theatre. The 1995 revival starred Cherry Jones, Philip Bosco, Jon Tenny and Frances Sternhagen. The 2012 revival starred Jessica Chastain, David Strathairn, Dan Stevens, Judith Ivey and Anneliese van der Pol.

Keywords
Performing Groups

MARIA
DR. AUSTIN SLOPER
LAVINIA PENNIMAN
CATHERINE SLOPER
ELIZABETH ALMOND
MARIAN ALMOND
MORRIS TOWNSEND
MRS. MONTGOMERY

  • Time Period 19th Century
  • Setting

    A parlor room in Washington Square, NYC. 1850.

  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration More than 120 minutes (2 hours)

Media

“The Heiress has a wealth of treasures to bestow.” – New York Daily News

“Juicy, high-toned melodrama.” – The Hollywood Reporter

“An absorbing play that will remain with you for a long time.” – Broadway World

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £70 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

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Authors

Henry James

Henry James
Henry James was born in New York City on April 15, 1843. His father insisted on a European education for his children, so throughout the 1850s the family traveled to Geneva, London, Paris, and Bonn, where the children were privately educated by tutors. They returned to Americ ...
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Augustus Goetz

Augustus Goetz
Ruth and Augustus Goetz collaborated on many Broadway plays, such as FRANKLIN STREET (1940); ONE MAN SHOW (1945); THE HEIRESS (1947), which was loosely suggested by Henry James’ novel WASHINGTON SQUARE; THE IMMORALIST (1954), an adaptation from the novel by Andre Gide, and TH ...
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Ruth Goetz

Ruth Goetz
Ruth and Augustus Goetz collaborated on many Broadway plays, such as FRANKLIN STREET (1940); ONE MAN SHOW (1945); THE HEIRESS (1947), which was loosely suggested by Henry James’ novel WASHINGTON SQUARE; THE IMMORALIST (1954), an adaptation from the novel by Andre Gide and THE ...
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