About the Play:

The Teahouse of the August Moon has long been a favourite of acting teachers for Male/Male Scenes.

The Teahouse of the August Moon is a full-length comedy by John Patrick, based on the novel by Vern Sneider. The show takes place in Okinawa in 1946. It deals with the 'Army of Occupation' trying to rehabilitate the island and the lack of understanding of each others' culture. Especially recommended for school and contest use.

The Teahouse of the August Moon is the story of the American occupation in Okinawa that was told originally in a novel by Vern Sneider. In the play, Captain Fisby, a young army officer, is assigned to carry out "Plan B". In a tiny Okinawan village, he is to begin the process of Americanization by instituting a local democratic government, establishing a capitalist economy, and building a schoolhouse (Pentagon-shaped) in which the village children will be taught English. As told by John McClain in the New York Journal-American: "…pursues the career of an Army of Occupation officer stationed in a remote town in Okinawa. His duty is to teach Democracy to the natives, and there is a stern and stupid Colonel breathing down his neck to insure the strict enforcement of the Manual of Occupation. But the young officer has not prepared himself for the ingenious charm of the people. Within a matter of days he finds himself the owner of a Grade A geisha girl; the materials sent him for the construction of a school are being used to build a teahouse and he himself, in an effort to improve the economy of the village, has taken to selling the principal product, potato brandy, to all the surrounding Army and Navy Officers' clubs. The gala opening of the teahouse is, of course, the moment chosen by the Colonel to make his inspection of the village, and the ensuing eruption is volcanic. The officer is sure to be court martialed, the Colonel demoted. But when life is darkest, word arrives that Congress, that old standby, has received reports that this is the most progressive village on the island, and all is forgiven."

The Teahouse of the August Moon premiered in 1953 on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theatre and won not only the coveted 1954 Pulitzer Prize, but also the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, the Tony Award, the Aegis Club Award and the Donaldson Award. The play ran for over 1000 performances on Broadway and was produced in more than 30 countries. One of the most successful plays of the modern theatre, it has become a favourite scene study vehicle in acting classes and workshops and it remains a popular choice for school and community theatre productions.

Cast: 8 female, 18 male, 3 children, 1 goat

What people say:

"…a howling hit. It kept the premiere audience rocking with ecstatic and uproarious laughter. This is an enchanting play, filled with the most extraordinary good sense about human and international relations." — New York World-Telegram

"Completely captivating…delightful." — New York Times

About the Playwright:

John Patrick (1905-1995) was a prolific American playwright and screenwriter, writing more than a dozen screenplays and some 30 plays. He had several Broadway successes, most notably Teahouse of the August Moon (which was awarded a Pulitzer, a Tony and a New York Drama Critics Circle Award) and The Hasty Heart. His movie scripts are impressive with Three Coins in a Fountain, The Shoes of the Fisherman and The World of Suzie Wong as well as adaptations of the two plays mentioned above. His plays remain popular with high schools and community theatres.