First printing of this touchstone play that depicts its gay characters as both sympathetic and flawed — inscribed by actor Leonard Frey, who originated the role of Harold.
Near fine in very good plus plus dust jacket.
Price: $450.00
"I also believe that one reason that Stonewall and Gay Rights happened — not the only reason, mind you, but one reason — is because of this play." — Peter Filichia, THEATERMANIA
THE BOYS IN THE BAND is representative of a turning point in American LGBTQ+ culture. THE NEW YORK TIMES calls it "the first play in the American gay male theatrical canon," and praises how the characters and their entanglements leap "off of the page like fat from a wok". Accordingly, THE BOYS IN THE BAND ran for 1000 performances in its off-Broadway debut, and has been the subject of several revivals and two feature films. THE BOYS IN THE BAND features an asterisk in Ian Young's key reference book THE MALE HOMOSEXUAL IN LITERATURE, marking it as of particular importance. This copy is warmly inscribed to an interviewer by award-winning actor Leonard Frey, who originated the role of Harold for both the original off-Broadway production, as well as for William Freidkin's 1970 film adaptation. Frey died of complications from AIDS in 1988.
Read more: Ian Young, The Male Homosexual in Literature, item 622; Peter Filichia, "Bring on the Men!," TheaterMania 17 October 2002; Jesse Green, "A Brief History of Gay Theater, in Three Acts," The New York Times 26 February 2018.
First edition. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, (1968). 8'' x 5.25''. Original light green cloth boards. Original unclipped ($4.50) color pictorial dust jacket designed by Leo and Diane Dillon. 182 pages. Inscribed by Leonard Frey on the page listing the original cast: "For Bob, Thank you / for the interview / from a lean / strong limbed / unusual Semitic / type / from / Leonard Frey." Jacket with a bit of edgewear, light toning to spine; scattered foxing to verso. Binding with a touch of edge toning, mild bumping to spine ends. Tight.
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