''Casa Valentina'' is a play written by

Harvey Fierstein Harvey Forbes Fierstein ( ; born June 6, 1952) is an American actor, playwright and screenwriter. He is best known for his theater work in '' Torch Song Trilogy'' and '' Hairspray'' and movie roles in '' Mrs. Doubtfire'', ''Independence Day'', an ...

which premiered on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

in April 2014 and opened in London in September 2015. It tells the story of men who spend weekends at a resort in the Catskill mountains, dressed as women.

Background

The play was suggested by the book ''Casa Susanna'', written by Michel Hurst and Robert Swope, which collected photographs from a cross-dressing resort of the same name.

Productions

''Casa Valentina'' premiered on

at the

Samuel J. Friedman Theatre The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, formerly the Biltmore Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 261 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1925, it was designed by Herbert J. Krapp in the neo-Renai ...

in a

Manhattan Theatre Club Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) is a theatre company located in New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has g ...

production on April 1, 2014 in previews, officially on April 23, 2014. Directed by

Joe Mantello Joseph Mantello (born December 27, 1962) is an American actor and director known for his work on Broadway productions of '' Wicked'', '' Take Me Out'', and ''Assassins'', having gained notoriety in the 1993 cast of ''Angels in America''. Early l ...

, the cast featured

Patrick Page John Patrick Page (born April 27, 1962) is an American actor, low bass singer, and playwright. He originated the roles of Norman Osborn/Green Goblin in '' Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark'', the Grinch in ''Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christm ...

(George/Valentina),

Gabriel Ebert Gabriel Ebert is an American stage actor and singer. Early life Ebert was born and raised in Colorado. He attended high school at the Denver School of the Arts and graduated from Juilliard. Career Ebert made his Broadway debut as the understudy ...

(Jonathon/Miranda),

John Cullum John Cullum (born circa 1930) is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in many stage musicals and dramas, including '' Shenandoah'' (1975) and '' On the Twentieth Century'' (1978), winning the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Mu ...

(Terry),

Reed Birney Reed Birney (born September 11, 1954) is an American actor. Birney is known for his performances on stage and screen often acting on and off Broadway. Birney gained acclaim in 2016 for his role in '' The Humans'' winning the Tony Award for Best F ...

(Charlotte), Tom McGowan (Bessie),

Larry Pine Larry Pine (born March 3, 1945) is an American actor. A veteran of the Broadway stage, he began his career playing the role of Fop in the 1968 production of ''Cyrano de Bergerac''. He has since starred in film and television, with recurring roles ...

(The Judge/Amy) and

Mare Winningham A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four y ...

(Rita). Scenic design was by

Scott Pask Scott Pask is an American scenic and costume designer. He has worked primarily on stage productions in the United States, on Broadway and Off-Broadway, and in regional theatre, as well as in the United Kingdom. He has won Tony Awards for his work ...

, costumes by Rita Ryack and lighting by Justin Townsend. The play had music by Fitz Patton, with

Christopher Gattelli Christopher Gattelli is an American choreographer, performer and theatre director. Early life and career Gattelli grew up in Bristol, Pennsylvania. He started dancing at the age of 11 and is a "Star Search" Grand champion.

as dance consultant."''Casa Valentina'' Listing"
Playbill, accessed May 12, 2016 The play closed on June 29, 2014 after 79 performances and 24 previews. The play made its London debut at the

Southwark Playhouse Southwark Playhouse is a theatre in London, located between Borough and Elephant and Castle tube stations. History The Southwark Playhouse Theatre Company was founded in 1993 by Juliet Alderdice and Tom Wilson. They identified the need for a ...

on September 10, 2015 in previews, running through October 10. Directed by Luke Sheppard, the cast featured

Tamsin Carroll Tamsin Georgina Carroll (born 13 February 1979) is an Australian actress. She is best known for her performances in musical theatre in Australia and the United Kingdom. Personal life Carroll was born and raised in Sydney. Her parents are Au ...

(Rita), Ben Deery (Miranda), Charlie Hayes (Eleanor), Bruce Montague (Terry), Robert Morgan (Amy), Matt Rixon (Bessie), Ashley Robinson (Gloria), Gareth Snook (Charlotte) and Edward Wolstenholme (Valentina). The play made its Chicago debut with Pride Films and Plays on August 22, 2019 in previews, running through September 29. Directed by Michael D. Graham, the cast featured Patrick Byrnes (George/Valentina), Micah Kronlokken (Jonathan/Miranda), Kingsley Day (Terry), Danne W. Taylor (Charlotte), Michael Hagedorn (Bessie), Robert Koon (The Judge/Amy), Josh Marshall (Michael/Gloria), Nicholia Q. Aguirre (Rita), and BethAnn Smukowski (Eleanor).

Plot

Casa Valentina is a small hotel in the resort area of the Catskill Mountains in New York. In the early 1960s, Casa Valentina has, as guests, heterosexual men who dress and act as women. They are faced with a decision whether to become an official organization.

Critical reception

The reviewer for ''theatermania'' wrote that ''Casa Valentina'' is "far and away the best new play of the season." Ben Brantley, writing for the ''New York Times'', praised the performances and the first half of the script but critiqued the second half, calling its tone didactic.

Original Broadway production

References

{{reflist

External links

Internet Broadway Database listing
Broadway plays 2014 plays LGBT-related plays Plays by Harvey Fierstein Plays set in New York (state)