Dream Collaborations: From the History of Eugene O’Neill’s Failed Projects

Abstract

This article is focused on Eugene O’Neill’s failed artistic collaborations with outstanding directors, actors and singers. It is the first attempt, in the Russian theatre studies, to get to the truth behind the playwright’s unrealized tandem with the legendary opera singer Feodor Chaliapin. The creative destiny of O’Neill’s play Lazarus Laughed (1927) is tracked from the attempts to stage it in New York, Chicago, Berlin and Moscow, all the way to the long-anticipated premiere at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, California. Special attention is paid to the Kamerny Theatre shows in Paris and Buenos Aires. Also under scrutiny is the American playwright’s private correspondence — in particular, with literary agent Richard Madden, translator Alexander Berkman and theatre producer Kenneth Macgowan. Particular emphasis is put on the playwright’s work behind the scenes and his active contribution to the translation of his ideas to the stage. The article reflects O’Neill’s approach to picking actors for lead roles in the stage productions of his plays, and also gives a logical conclusion to his failed meeting with two-time Academy Award winner Spencer Tracy at the Tao House in Danville, California. The paper provides a review of Ingrid Bergman’s acting performance in the Anna Christie production (Lobero Theatre, Santa Barbara, 1941) and in Jose Quintero’s Broadway production More Stately Mansions (Broadhurst Theatre, New York, 1967) based on Eugene O’Neill’s late unfinished play.

Keywords

• eugene o’neill
• american drama
• lazarus laughed
• anna christie
• more stately mansions
• broadway
• kamerny theatre
• feodor chaliapin
• spencer tracy
• ingrid bergman
• jose quintero