The Guthrie Theater
by Peg Guilfoyle
Published by Nodin Press
Click on book
cover to order
at Amazon.com
Reviewed by Connie Anderson
(Listen to audio interview with author posted on our site)
Subtitled: Imagines, History, and Inside Stories
In 1963, with very strong business and community support, Minneapolis became the home to Sir Tyrone Guthrie's theatre. This theater's thrust stage was most unique in 1963--as the 1500 audience members sat on three sides.
During these 40-plus years, famous and soon-to-be famous actors graced the stage. Hamlet, the opening play, has been done several times in those 40 years, including the last play in the old theatre May 2005.
Now the Guthrie is located in a spectacular new building looking over the famous Mississippi River that runs through downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul, and this book celebrates the people behind the scenes, the actors and the plays.
The book was the brainchild of theatre alum (stage manager and production manager) and advocate, Peg Guilfoyle, and working together with Nodin Press (who produces regional books), they gave us this loving gift. Each season is recapped and one play is selected to represent that season. What a job that must have been to pick just one for each season of first-class theatre productions. These full-page (10 x 11") full-color photos show many of favorite plays, and will impress regular theatergoers or those who have heard of its international reputation.
For anyone who loves theater and actors/acting, Guilfoyle has filled the book with funny, sad and introspective stories about and often told by loal actors and staff--and people like John Spencer, Patrick Stewart, Peter Michael Goetz, and of course, Hume Cronyn and his wife Jessica Tandy. This couple performed in the first season in 1963, and in 2003, Cronyn returned to visit with the staff in his early 90s, and thrilled them with one of his famous speeches from a great classic play.
My favorite story is of the young African-American Peter Macon, who as a local high school student attended a matinee with his class. He fell in love with the theater that day and became an actor. After 20 years acting elsewhere, he returned to thrill audiences with his breathtaking, scene-stealing role in Oedipus. (Can you guess that I was there?)
(You can order a book directly from the author at www.GuthrieTheaterBook.com AND the author will autograph and personalize it.)
Armchair Interviews says: A spectacular coffee table gift book for young and old--dreamers and theatergoers alike--everyone will love the pictures, the stories and the history. Name dropping at its best.