Overview
Synopsis
Prudence and Bruce are two Manhattanites looking for love, stability, and sanity. On the advice of his therapist, Bruce places a personal ad in the newspaper; on the advice of her therapist, Prudence answers it. At first, it seems as though the two couldn’t be less suited to each other: Prudence is a perfectionist, cautious and closed off from the world, while Bruce, who lives with his jealous lover, Bob, is emotional and spontaneous. But fate (and their therapists) continue to bring the two together. Much to their surprise, Prudence and Bruce find they might actually like each other. Can they survive neuroses, jealousy, and their crazy therapists? Christopher Durang’s off-the-wall comedy, Beyond Therapy, is a hilarious exploration of finding love in the modern world and accepting the little bit of crazy in all of us.
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Context
Beyond Therapy premiered off-Broadway on January 1, 1981, at the Phoenix Theatre. Directed by Jerry Zaks, the production starred Sigourney Weaver (Prudence), Stephen Collins (Bruce), Jim Borrelli (Stuart), Kate McGregor-Stewart (Charlotte), and Jack Gilpin (Bob). The off-Broadway run ran for 30 performances.
The play made its Broadway debut at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on May 26, 1982. The production was directed by John Madden, and starred Dianne Wiest (Prudence), John Lithgow (Bruce),
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ACT ONE
Prudence arrives at the restaurant and tentatively introduces herself to Bruce. They’ve met through an ad Bruce placed in the personals column. He swears he’s never posted one before, and Prudence swears that she’s never answered one. The date seems ill-fated from the start, when Bruce compliments Prudence on her breasts. Uncomfortable, Prudence tries to signal for a waiter, but there isn’t one to be found. Bruce tells her that she reminds him of Bob, his lover. Prudence is
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Character Portrayals
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