The Small Hours
(1951)
By George S. Kaufman and Leueen MacGrath
Cast size: 7 men, 6 women
A psychological portrait of an inequitable marriage.
For performance rights, contact: Dramatists
For performance rights/manuscripts for all other plays, contact: laurence.maslon@nyu.edu
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The Plot
A psychological portrait of an inequitable marriage, this collaboration between Kaufman and his second wife, actress Leueen MacGrath is the story of a well-heeled Park Avenue publisher and his meek wife, who lives in the shadow of his success. As their marriage progresses, and we see the high life of New York sophisticates, the wife comes into her own and blossoms into her full potential.
Other Plays in the Catalogue
Throughout his career, Kaufman made a fine art out of the revue sketch, the most popular theatrical form on Broadway in the 1920s and early 1930s. Several of his sketches are absolute classics and they can be singly or as part of a larger evening.
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.
By Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman. Cast size: 14 men, 9 women, doubling possible; one set. The Man Who Came to Dinner rolled onto Broadway at the Music Box Theatre on October 16, 1939. It became an overnight smash hit and stayed, rather like Whiteside, for a protracted visit of 739 performances.
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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
