Program from A CELEBRATION OF THORNTON WILDER and a profusion of AUTOGRAPHS

Description

A CELEBRATION OF THORNTON WILDER
MONDAY APRIL 18, 1977
RUTH GORDON and THORNTON WILDER had been friends since 1954 (and a little before) when she starred as Dolly Gallagher Levi in the inaugural production of WILDER'S "The Matchmaker". The playwright died in 1975 and two years later, his friends organized a celebration of his life and his monumental talent. After all, he did write "Our Town", "The Skin of Our Teeth", "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" and the aforementioned "The Matchmaker. And, along the way, garnered two Pulitzer Prizes -- one for Drama and one for Fiction. Among the friends who gathered at Circle in the Square back in 1977 to honor him and, by the way, who also signed this program were JAMES COCO, FRED GWYNNE, MAUREEN STAPLETON, TOMMY TUNE, LYNN REDGRAVE, DICK CAVETT, TERESA WRIGHT, MARTHA SCOTT, ISABEL WILDER and RUTH GORDON. GORDON also wrote a "Remembrance" of her friendship with WILDER and that text appears in this program. The program is, I would assume, quite rare since the event was 54 years ago and Circle in the Square accommodates fewer than 800 people. The program is somewhat tanned, especially around the edges, consistent with its age. There are two open tears top and bottom of program's fold, both probably less than 1/8". On the first inside verso, the date is penned at the very bottom and on the back are four lines of scribbled ink near the bottom, neither line extending more than 2". Bottom left corner of back page is the number "952". This is a highly unusual souvenir of what was a very special evening of theatre when one of its own was most appropriately celebrated.