Arts & Culture

Martin Sheen Returns to Pulitzer Prize-Winning Drama “The Subject Was Roses”, Mark Taper Forum

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Who knew a bouquet of roses could cause such a stir? In the Pulitzer prize-winning play “The Subject Was Roses” by Frank D. Gilroy, roses symbolize the fragility of hope and loss as a family attempts to reconnect after their young son returns from war as a man. Martin Sheen revisits the play 46 years later that brought him a Tony Award nomination for his portrayal of the son, Timmy, in the original Broadway production of 1964. He will play the father role this time and join Frances Conroy from “Six Feet Under” and Brian Geraghty of “The Hurt Locker” under the direction of Neil Pepe.

Brian Geraghty, Frances Conroy and Martin Sheen in "The Subject Was Roses".

“Martin and I had been talking for some time about doing ‘The Subject Was Roses,’ and when it appeared that the timing for the production was perfect for the opening slot in the new Taper season, I was pleased that we could move quickly,” said Michael Ritchie, Center Theater Group Artistic Director. “Set in 1946, following World War II, this is a timeless, important play with characters so rich and believable that your heart goes out to them, wishing they could break out of old family patterns. These are people we can all identify with.  It makes for compelling theatre.”

Martin Sheen and Francis Conroy.

In 1965, “The Subject Was Roses” received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play, as well as the Outer Critics Circle Award and New York Drama Critics Circle Award. “The Subject Was Roses” is presented at the Mark Taper Forum in association with Estevez Sheen Productions as the opening of the 43rd season.

“Part of the beauty of this play is that the words that are unspoken are as important as the words that are spoken. This play is like a great river that looks calm on the surface, but underneath is where all the action is, where all the friction is, where all the tension is. …What is unique to the way that Frank Gilroy constructed The Subject Was Roses is that the audience can’t sit there and not be a part of it. Their imagination becomes part of the storytelling, it makes for compelling theatre”, explains Ritchie.

Martin Sheen Credits

Martin Sheen and Brian Geraghty.

Martin Sheen is perhaps best known for his performance as President Josiah Bartlett in the acclaimed NBC-TV series “The West Wing,” a role for which he won six Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor, and for the role of Captain Willard in the legendary film “Apocalypse Now.” He has worked for some of the most prominent directors including Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, Richard Attenborough, Terrence Malick and Mike Nichols. His films include “Catch-22,” “That Certain Summer,” “Badlands,” “The Execution of Private Slovik,” “Gandhi,” “Wall Street,” “JFK,” “The American President,” “The Departed,” “Bobby” and “Catch Me If You Can,” among many others.

Frances Conroy Credits

Frances Conroy, whose role as the undertaker’s widow in the cult HBO series “Six Feet Under” brought her three Emmy Award nominations, is a veteran stage actress whose Broadway credits include Arthur Miller’s “The Ride Down Mt. Morgan” (Tony Award nomination and an Outer Critics Circle Award), Miller’s “The Last Yankee” (Obie Award), Edward Albee’s “The Lady From Dubuque” and “Three Tall Women,” and David Hare’s “The Secret Rapture” (Drama Desk nomination). For CTG, she has appeared in “The Dinner Party” at the Taper and “Pyrenees” at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Her numerous films include “Manhattan,” “Crimes and Misdemeanors,” “The Aviator,” “Scent of a Woman,” and the upcoming John Curran’s “Stone” playing Robert DeNiro’s wife and Shane Dax Taylor’s “Provinces of Night” playing Kris Kristofferson’s wife.

“The Subject Was Roses” Author

Frank D. Gilroy, after serving in World War II and receiving his education at Dartmouth and the Yale School of Drama, began writing for television for such programs as  “Playhouse 90,” “Studio One” and “The U.S. Steel Hour,” among others.  His first stage play, “Who’ll Save the Plowboy?” at New York’s Phoenix Theatre, received the Obie Award for the Best American Play off-Broadway. “The Subject Was Roses” was next, followed by his other Broadway plays – “That Summer – That Fall,” “The Only Game in Town,” “Last Licks” and “Any Given Day.” His films include “Desperate Characters,” “From Noon Till Three” and “Once in Paris,” among others.

“The Subject Was Roses” begins Feb 23rd-March 21st, Mark Taper Forum.
8 PM Tues-Sat, 2:30 Sat, 1 PM/6:30 PM Sun

Ticket Prices: $20 – $65.

For tickets, call (213) 628-2772, in person at the Center Theatre Group box office or on-line at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org.

About the author

Lanee Neil