183:: " 'Painting Churches,' which opens the Second Stage's season at its temporary new home on Theater Row, is in the dreamiest impressionistic spirit. It remakes reality with delicate, well-chosen brush strokes, finding beauty and truth in the abstract dance of light on a familiar landscape... It's a high compliment to Miss Howe... that the old bones of her material rarely peek through her writing's high, lacy gloss."
57:. Gardner is a poet and Fanny is from a "fine old family." Their daughter Margaret (Mags), an artist who lives in New York, has arrived to help them pack and paint their portrait. Over the course of several days, Mags sees her role in the parent-child relationship changing. Gardner is having memory problems and has become frail, and in his frustration, recites the poetry of
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reviewer wrote of the 2012 revival: "Howe has written poignant solo moments for each of her fondly observed characters... 'Painting
Churches' is still a stunner, a group portrait painted in a soft, impressionistic style. But the shimmering lights of this visual poem have been dimmed in this too-too
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The play grew from Howe's particular and enduring experience of art. Howe said: "Now... I'm enthralled with the French
Impressionists." One theme of the play is an artist's coming of age. Howe: "How does a child get his parents to accept him not as a child, but as an artist?... There is an odyssey
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wrote of the television film that there were "knockout performances by Sada
Thompson and Donald Moffat". He praised the production: "Then there is the captivating rhythm established by writer Tina Howe and director Jack O'Brien, who skillfully wend their way in and out of various moods without
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wrote: "As the curtain falls...Fanny and
Gardner Church, an elderly couple, begin a life-affirming waltz... the playwright's lyric and literate words and genuine feeling have peered through a pedestian production."
84:, premiered Off-Broadway on February 8, 1983 (previewing from January 25, 1983) at the South Street Theatre, closing on February 27, after 30 performances. The play transferred to the
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In a townhouse in the Beacon Hill area of Boston, an elderly couple, Fanny (in her 60s) and
Gardner (in his 70s) Church, are packing. They are moving to a beach home on
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every child has to face in order to find his legs in his own household... The play is also about the departure of a vanishing breed..."
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69:. Her parents are able to see her talent, and enjoy being in a "Renoir" party as they dance a waltz.
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as
Gardner Church (at South Street Theatre) and George Martin in the same role (at Lamb's Theatre),
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Lortel
Archives, Internet Off-Broadway Database listing, "Painting Churches", McGinn-Cazale Theatre
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Lortel
Archives, Internet Off-Broadway Database listing, "Painting Churches", Lamb's Theatre
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The play was revived Off-Broadway by the Keen
Company at Clurman Theatre in 2012, starring
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Rich, Frank. "Theater: Bostonian Life In 'Painting
Churches' ", February 9, 1983, p.C16
36:. The play concerns the relationship between an artist daughter and her aging parents.
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where it ran from November 22, 1983 through May 20, 1984, playing 206 performances.
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356:"TCM, cast, production, brief synopsis, for 'Painting Churches' telefilm, 1986"
344:"John Cunningham Replaces Richard Easton in Keen Company's 'Painting Churches' "
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95:, costumes by Linda Fisher, and lighting by Frances Aronson. The show featured
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production — too solid, too specific, too literal, too loud, and too bright."
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65:, among others. Mags finishes the portrait of her parents, in the style of
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Google books, "Painting Churches", Published by Samuel French, Inc., 1984
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Margulies, Lee. "TV Reviews : A Wealth Of Quality Drama Tonight",
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In regional theatre, the play was presented at the Hartman Theatre,
118:(Fanny), John Cunningham (Gardner) and Kate Turnbull (Mags).
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The production was directed by Carole Rothman, set design by
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wrote in his review of the 1983 original production in
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as Margaret Church (at South Street Theatre) and then
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The play was filmed for the public television series
205:, reviewing the 1986 Hartman Theatre production for
459:Internet Movie Database listing for telefilm, 1986
385:"Howe's 'Painting Churches' in Hartman Production"
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107:(in the same role) (at Lamb's Theatre), and
276:Pulitzer Prize listing for Drama, see 1984
135:. It was remade for television in 1993 by
127:and broadcast in 1986. The cast featured
387:"New York Times", June 8, 1986, p. CN33
331:"CurtainUp Review. 'Painting Churches' "
249:John Glassner Award - Tina Howe (winner)
32:in 1983. It was a finalist for the 1984
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111:as Fanny Church (in both productions).
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320:lortel.org, accessed September 8, 2015
308:lortel.org, accessed September 8, 2015
291:"Art Given A Role In Tina Howe's Play"
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246:Best Actress - Marian Seldes (winner)
199:signaling where they're going next."
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318:"'Painting Churches' Lamb's Theatre"
227:Performance - Donald Moffat (winner)
166:, George Hamlin and Lizbeth Mackay.
306:"'Painting Churches' Second Stage"
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230:Design - Heidi Landesman (winner)
243:Best Off-Broadway Play (winner)
410:"Review. 'Painting Churches' "
346:playbill.com, January 17, 2012
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333:curtainup.com, March 3, 2012
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494:Plays set in Massachusetts
236:Outer Critics Circle Award
256:Pulitzer Prize for Drama
34:Pulitzer Prize for Drama
389:(subscription required)
162:in June 1986, starring
214:Awards and nominations
194:The reviewer for the
160:Stamford, Connecticut
131:, Donald Moffat, and
24:is a play written by
137:Turner Entertainment
82:Second Stage Theatre
59:William Butler Yeats
296:, February 18, 1983
484:Off-Broadway plays
479:Plays by Tina Howe
294:The New York Times
289:Brenson, Michael.
207:The New York Times
180:The New York Times
124:American Playhouse
105:Elizabeth McGovern
73:Production history
489:Boston in fiction
426:Los Angeles Times
408:Stasio, Marilyn.
196:Los Angeles Times
170:Critical response
116:Kathleen Chalfant
78:Painting Churches
28:, first produced
21:Painting Churches
16:Play by Tina Howe
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474:1983 plays
468:Categories
263:References
258:(finalist)
220:Obie Award
175:Frank Rich
164:Kim Hunter
40:Background
26:Tina Howe
55:Cape Cod
413:Variety
188:Variety
151:, and
67:Renoir
254:1984
371:imdb
238:1984
222:1983
186:The
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