THE N. Y.THEATRE SCENE 50 YEARS AGO 1959_____1960

As we head into the 2009_2010 theatre season I thought it would be fun to look back at the N. Y. theatre scene of 50 years ago. I was in my third year of high school and was not the greatest student in school. I always had a passion for Broadway and even reviewed Broadway for the school paper. This is what I remember.
It was a great year on Broadway with some fine dramas,including The Miracle Worker,The Gang's All Here, The Tenth Man,Five Finger Exercise,and The andersonville Trial. The Gang's All Here was not a hit, but this play about Warren G. Harding's ascent to The White House, and the scandal that destroyed him was exciting theatre and in my opinion, one of the season's best plays.
Lillian Hellman came back to Broadway with Toys In The Attic, and Caligula was a powerful work with a stunning performance by Kenneth Haigh in the title role. The Best Man was a sharp political drama, and Duel Of Angels and The Fighting Cock lent a bit of elegance to the season, but Silent Night, Lonely Night was a dour work that even fine acting by Barbara Bel Geddes and Henry Fonda could not save.
THE MUSICALS ARE ON THE NEXT BLOG.