The American Way
(1939)
By George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart
Cast size: 34 men, 20 women; many sets
A dramatic epic story of assimilation, patriotism and prejudice in America. Kaufman and Hart’s most serious play.
For performance rights to this show, please contact: laurence.maslon@nyu.edu
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The Plot
A dramatic epic story of assimilation, patriotism and prejudice in America. A German immigrant named Martin Gunther comes to America at the turn of the century, moves to the Midwest where he thrives as a furniture manufacturer and raises a family.
Soon, WWI intervenes and he loses one son in the war; when a local pro-Nazi occurs in his town on the eve of the Second World War, Gunther loses his life for his principles. Kaufman and Hart’s most serious play, The American Way galvanized audiences at the large Century Theater in Rockefeller Center in the last days of the 1930s; it starred Frederic March as the leading character.
Other Plays in the Catalogue
To the Ladies (1924). By George S. Kaufman and Marc Connelly.
Kaufman and Ferber to the backstage life of theater, this time in a theatrical boarding house in New York, where the "star performer" is a Hungarian émigré, a playwright who dreams of recreating his brilliant theatrical troupe in America.
The original 1922 production of Merton ran for 398 performances, at a time when half that number of performances could make a hit. It has been rarely revived, although a production at Minneapolis' Guthrie Theater in 1974 starred Michael Moriarty and a successful version was performed in Los Angeles' Geffen Theater in 1998, directed by John Rando.
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Contact Us Today
Interested in bringing George S. Kaufman’s timeless plays to your stage?
Please refer to the contact information for each specific play on the various collection pages for direct amateur and professional licensing information.
Plays are represented by Concord Theatricals, Broadway Dramatic Licensing, and Music Theatre International respectively
If you are interested in first-class performance or film/television rights:
In the US, George S. Kaufman’s plays are represented by:
CPK Artists, LLC
In the UK, George S. Kaufman’s plays are represented by:
Alan Brodie Representation
For more information about George S. Kaufman or this website, contact:
Laurence Maslon
Literary Trustee, George S. Kaufman Estate
