Roundabout Theatre Archives: Collection: Present Laughter (2010) Production Files [PRESENTLAUGH2010]

Production files documenting the 2010 production of Noel Coward's Present Laughter. Directed by Nicholas Martin, with set design by Alexander Dodge, costume design by Jane Greenwood, lighting design by Rui Rita, sound design by Drew Levy, and hair and wig design by Tom Watson.

The production starred Victor Garber as Garry Essendine, with Brooks Ashmanskas as Roland Maule, Holley Fain as Daphne Stillington, Nancy E. Carroll as MIss Erikson, James Joseph O'Neil as Fred, Harriet Harris as Monica Reed, Lisa Banes as Liz Essendine, Marc Vietor as Morris Dixon, Richard Poe as Henry Lyppiatt, Pamela Jane Gray as Joanna Lyppiatt and Alice Duffy as Lady Saltburn. Understudies were Peter Bradbury, Kathleen McElfresh, Robin Moseley, James Joseph O'Neil and Nicole Orth-Pallavicini.

This production was originally produced in May 2007 by the Huntington Theatre Company.

2010 Award Nominations:
Tony Award, Best Scenic Design of a Play, Alexander Dodge (nominee)

"In Noel Coward's classic comedy, matinee idol Garry Essendine...sits at the center of his own universe. While Garry struggles to plan his upcoming trip to Africa, his elegant London flat is invaded by a love struck ingenue, an adulterous producer and a married seductress, not to mention Garry's estranged wife and a crazed young playwright. Just before Garry escapes, the full extent of his misdemeanors is discovered and all hell breaks loose" (Boneau/Bryan-Brown press release). Written in 1939, Noel Coward played the lead role in the original 1942 production, and described the play as "semi-autobiographical pyrotechnics". There have been numerous revivals over the years, including a US tour of the production in 1958 where Coward appeared again in the role of Essendine.

One deep Hollinger box contains all the production files documents, encompassing 15 folders, two playbills and performance ticket stubs, opening night and promotional flyers, and the cast/family photo.

The stage management bible is also in the Hollinger box in CD format, containing folders for: Accidents, Ballots, Blank Forms, Breakdowns (ie. scenes), Calendars, Contact, Costumes, Daily Calls, Dressing Room Signs, Graphics (including actor headshots), Lights, Lists, Memos, Performance Notes, Postings, Props, Rehearsal Reports, Scenery, Script, and Sound. Another digital copy of the bible can be found on the Archive 1 server.

The other digital holdings on the Archive 1 server include folders for:
Archives Costume Photographs (photographs taken by the Archives of costume pieces in the collection)
Education (including the study guide)
Media (photographs for events such as HIPTIX, Out at Roundabout and audio/video clips including B-roll footage)
Opening Night (digital images in jpeg format)
Playbill (23 scans in jpeg format)
Press (.pdf and .bmp files covering press in publications such as New York Times, Boston Globe, Time Out, NY Magazine, Village Voice, and Wall Street Journal)
Production Photographs (including captioned photos, selects, and a headshot for Victor Garber)
Production Stage Management (sub-folders: Costumes, Dressing Room Signs, Lighting Design, Props, Scenery, Sound Design, and Stage Manager Bible)
Props (photographs of the two show props in the Archive's collection)
Script
Show Art

In a separate "Institutional" folder on the server there is video footage of an interview with Victor Garber and Nicholas Martin.

There is a related collection of "Present Laughter" materials on the Marketing shelves, and the theatrical poster for the production is present both on Archive 1 and on the Poster shelves. While most Roundabout productions have a contracts file, as of the creation of this collection record the majority of "Present Laughter" contracts are missing; the only documents in the Contracts cabinet are contracts and correspondence for the designers.

There are 10 printed pages of Alexander Dodge's set design drawings housed in the flat file cabinet; digital copies of two of these drawings can be found on the Archive 1 server. Original costumes are located on the Costume shelves, and digital photographs of these are also located on the Archive 1 server. Two original prop pieces are also in the collection, a painted portrait of Garry Essendine and a "Bon Voyage" sign; digital photographs of these are also on the Archive 1 server.

Access Restrictions: Open and available to approved researchers by appointment only. See folder details for specific restrictions.

Preferred Citation: Present Laughter 2010, Roundabout Theatre Company Archives