Children of a Lesser God

Children of a Lesser God (1980), a play by Mark Medoff. [Longacre Theatre, 887 perf.; Tony Award.] James Leeds (John Rubinstein) is an instructor at a school for the deaf who tries to teach Sarah Norman (Phyllis Frelich), a janitor who is much older than the other students, as well as difficult and hostile. Sarah refuses to learn to read lips or to try to speak, insisting on only using sign language. After a while James and Sarah fall in love and wed, but the marriage soon falls apart because she fears James pities her and because she is afraid they might have a deaf child. All the pair can tell each other is, “I'll help you if you'll help me.” Otis L. Guernsey Jr. called the play “an outcry for a group which, it insists, speaks more eloquently for itself in signs than hearing people are able to manage with mere words.” No small part of Frelich's strength in the role of Sarah came from the fact that she herself was born deaf. Mark MEDOFF (b. 1940) was born in Mt. Carmel, Illinois, and was educated at the University of Miami and at Stanford. His earlier plays, When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? (1973), in which a criminal bully destroys people's illusions, and The Wager (1974), in which a woman is seduced on a bet, were both Off‐Broadway successes.

Mark Medoff 1979

Mark Medoff wrote Children of a Lesser God specifically for the actress Phyllis Frelich. The play is important historically because it includes a lead role for a deaf performer in a drama designed for the hearing theater audience. Unlike some of Medoff’s earlier plays, such as The Wager and When You Comin Back, Red Ryder?, Children of a Lesser God examines communication problems, psychological stress, and emotional abuse, but does so without the threat of physical violence or guns. The play earned Medoff a Tony award in 1980. In 1986, a film version of the play, written by Medoff, was released; the film starred William Hurt as James and Marlee Matlin, who earned an Academy Award for her performance as Sarah.

Sign language is integral to the play. Sarah signs but does not speak aloud until the climactic scene toward the end of the play. When conversing with Sarah, James will often echo her part of the conversation and sign and speak his own responses.

For the film, see Children of a Lesser God.

Children of a Lesser God
Written by	Mark Medoff
Characters	Sarah Norman James Leeds Mrs. Norman Mr. Franklin Lydia Edna Klein Orin Dennis
Date premiered	3 March 1980
Place premiered	Longacre Theatre New York City, New York
Original language	English
Subject
Genre	Drama
IBDB profile

Phyllis Frelich and John Rubinstein in a scene from Children of a Lesser God

Children of a Lesser God is a play by Mark Medoff, published in 1980 focusing on the conflicted professional and romantic relationship between deaf former student, Sarah Norman, and her teacher, James Leeds. The play was specially written for the Deaf actress Phyllis Frelich, based to some extent on her relationship with her husband Robert Steinberg.^{[citation needed]} It was originally developed from workshops and showcased at New Mexico State University, with Frelich and Steinberg in the lead roles. It was seen by Gordon Davidson, Director of the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, who insisted that the male role needed to be played by a more experienced professional actor.^{[citation needed]}

Following a highly-successful run at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, the Broadway production, directed by Gordon Davidson, opened on March 30, 1980 at the Longacre Theatre, where it ran for 887 performances. The cast included Phyllis Frelich as Sarah and John Rubinstein as James. David Ackroyd later replaced Rubinstein. Deaf actresses Linda Bove and Elizabeth Quinn later replaced Frelich.

In 1981, the West End production ran originally at the Mermaid Theatre, then at the Albery Theatre, garnering three Olivier Awards. The production starred Trevor Eve and Elizabeth Quinn. Deaf actors from the UK were involved as understudies including Jean St Clair, Sarah Scott and Terry Ruane.

Contents 1 Film adaptation 2 Awards and nominations 3 References 4 External links

Film adaptation

Main article: Children of a Lesser God

In 1986, Medoff adapted the play for film directed by Randa Haines, starring Marlee Matlin and William Hurt.

Awards and nominations

Awards

• 1980 Drama Desk Award Outstanding New Play
• 1981 Laurence Olivier Award for Best new Play
• 1980 Tony Award for Best Play

References

• Botto, Louis (2002). Playbill: At This Theatre. Applause Books. ISBN 1557835667. 
• "Olivier Winners 1981". The Official London Theatre Guide:. 2008. http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/awards/winners/display?contentId=72661. Retrieved 2008-06-19. 

External links

• Children of a Lesser God at the Internet Broadway Database

v • d • e Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play The Way of the World / Thieves' Carnival / Twelfth Night / The Merchant of Venice / The White Devil (1955) · The Iceman Cometh (1956) · Same Time, Next Year / Equus (1975) · Streamers (1976) · A Texas Trilogy / Otherwise Engaged (1977) · Da (1978) · The Elephant Man (1979) · Children of a Lesser God (1980) · Amadeus (1981) · Master Harold...and the Boys (1982) · Torch Song Trilogy (1983) · The Real Thing (1984) · As Is (1985) · A Lie of the Mind (1986) · Fences (1987) · M. Butterfly (1988) · The Heidi Chronicles (1989) · The Piano Lesson (1990) · Lost in Yonkers (1991) · Marvin's Room (1992) · Angels in America: Millennium Approaches (1993) · Angels in America: Perestroika (1994) · Love! Valour! Compassion! (1995) · Master Class (1996) · How I Learned to Drive (1997) · The Beauty Queen of Leenane (1998) · Wit (1999) · Copenhagen (2000) · Proof (2001) · The Goat: or, Who is Sylvia? / Metamorphoses (2002) · Take Me Out (2003) · I Am My Own Wife (2004) · Doubt: A Parable (2005) · The History Boys (2006) · The Coast of Utopia (2007) · August: Osage County (2008) · Ruined (2009)

v • d • e Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play Dear Daddy (1976) · The Fire that Consumes (1977) · Whose Life Is It Anyway? (1978) · Betrayal (1979) · The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1980) · Children of a Lesser God (1981) · Another Country (1982) · Glengarry Glen Ross (1983) · Benefactors (1984) · Red Noses (1985) · Les liaisons dangereuses (1986) · Serious Money (1987) · Our Country's Good (1988) · Racing Demon (1990) · Dancing at Lughnasa (1991) · Death and the Maiden (1992) · Six Degrees of Separation (1993) · Arcadia (1994) · Broken Glass (1995) · Skylight (1996) · Stanley (1997) · Closer (1998) · The Weir (1999) · Goodnight Children Everywhere (2000) · Blue/Orange (2001) · Jitney (2002) · Vincent in Brixton (2003) · The Pillowman (2004) · The History Boys (2005) · On the Shore of the Wide World (2006) · Blackbird (2007) · A Disappearing Number (2008) · Black Watch (2009)

v • d • e Tony Award for Best Play Travesties (1976) · The Shadow Box (1977) · Da (1978) · The Elephant Man (1979) · Children of a Lesser God (1980) · Amadeus (1981) · The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1982) · Torch Song Trilogy (1983) · The Real Thing (1984) · Biloxi Blues (1985) · I'm Not Rappaport (1986) · Fences (1987) · M. Butterfly (1988) · The Heidi Chronicles (1989) · The Grapes of Wrath (1990) · Lost in Yonkers (1991) · Dancing at Lughnasa (1992) · Angels in America: Millennium Approaches (1993) · Angels in America: Perestroika (1994) · Love! Valour! Compassion! (1995) · Master Class (1996) · The Last Night of Ballyhoo (1997) · “Art” (1998) · Side Man (1999) · Copenhagen (2000) Complete list: (1948–1975) · (1976–2000) · (2001–present)

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