Written by Victoria Stewart First performance 12 March 2013 | Genre Dramatic comedy Playwright Victoria Stewart | |
Date premiered March 12, 2013 (2013-03-12) Subject "Women and their relationship to men, mothers and money, in that order." Setting The present, Manhattan, especially Eve's apartment on Central Park West. | ||
Rich girl the lyric stage
Rich Girl is a play by Victoria Stewart, which updates Henry James's 1880 novel Washington Square to the present. (The novel has also been adapted to the 1947 play by Ruth and Augustus Goetz and the classic 1949 film, both entitled The Heiress.)
Contents
Plot
Playwright Stewart retains novelist James's plot structure essentially intact but updates the characters:
The tone of the first act is light comedy as Henry courts Claudine and asks her to marry him. The second act turns dramatic as Eve, believing Henry is interested in Claudine only for her money, threatens to disinherit her if she marries him. In her insecurity Claudine believes he is her only chance for love and happiness. When Henry then leaves her, Claudine is heartbroken and becomes embittered but self-confident.
Notable productions
The world premiere production played at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, NJ from March 12 – April 7, 2013 and at the Cleveland Play House from April 19 – May 12. It cast Crystal Finn as Claudine, Dee Hoty as Eve, Tony Roach as Henry, and Liz Larsen as Maggie, with direction by Michael Bloom, the artistic director of the Cleveland Play House.
The west coast premiere was at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego from May 23 – June 21, 2015.