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The American Plan

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The American Plan is a play by Richard Greenberg , which ran both Off-Broadway in 1990 and on Broadway in 2009.

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37-825: The play premiered Off-Broadway , produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club at New York City Center Stage II on January 23, 1990, and closed on February 18, 1990 after 32 performances. Directed by Evan Yionoulis the cast featured Rebecca Miller (Lili), Tate Donovan (Nick), Beatrice Winde (Olivia), Joan Copeland (Eva) and Eric Stoltz (Gil). The play transferred to the Manhattan Theatre Club Mainstage on December 4, 1990 and closed on January 18, 1991 after 52 performances. The cast featured Wendy Makkena (Lili), D. W. Moffett (Nick), Joan Copeland (Eva), Yvette Hawkins (Olivia), and Jonathan Walker (Gil). The Manhattan Theatre Club presented

74-518: A bike lane between these two intersections were announced in October 2024. The same month, as part of a reconstruction of the parallel Fifth Avenue in Midtown, Mayor Eric Adams proposed widening Sixth Avenue's bike lane for two-way bike traffic. Sights along Sixth Avenue include Juan Pablo Duarte Square ; the polychrome High Victorian Gothic Jefferson Market Courthouse, currently occupied by

111-445: A hostile world." The New Yorker Magazine reviewer of the 2009 production wrote: "From this somewhat incredible beginning, with its glib exposition that smacks of romantic comedy, Greenberg reverses our narrative expectations and spins a psychologically astute, compelling study of narcissistic delusion—his version of 'The Heiress,' in which the payoff is not revenge but revelation about the stranglehold of symbiosis....The play, however,

148-509: A new outlet for "poets, playwrights, actors, songwriters, and designers. ... The first great Off-Broadway musical was the 1954 revival" of The Threepenny Opera , which proved that off-Broadway productions could be financially successful. Critic John Gassner argued at the time, however, that "Broadway is just as eclectic – and just as footless – as 'Off-Broadway'." Theatre Row , on West 42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues in Manhattan,

185-482: Is a concentration of off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway theatres. It was developed in the mid-1970s and modernized in 2002. Many off-Broadway shows have had subsequent runs on Broadway, including such musicals as Hair , Godspell , Little Shop of Horrors , Sunday in the Park with George , Rent , Grey Gardens , Urinetown , Avenue Q , The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee , Rock of Ages , In

222-555: Is a production of a play , musical , or revue that appears in such a venue and adheres to related trade union and other contracts. Some shows that premiere off-Broadway are subsequently produced on Broadway. The term originally referred to any venue, and its productions, on a street intersecting Broadway in Midtown Manhattan 's Theater District , the hub of the American theatre industry. It later became defined by

259-547: Is a widow, has a vacation home in the Catskill Mountains , in New York, across a lake from a resort. Her daughter, Lili Adler, is a socially awkward 20-year old who feels trapped by her mother's constant attention. Lili meets Nick Lockridge, an aspiring architect who is engaged to a woman from a wealthy family. Lili and Nick develop a romantic relationship over the course of the summer. Eva, Lili's controlling mother,

296-622: Is about greed of an altogether different kind: financial, psychic, and sexual." Joan Copeland won the 1990-1991 OBIE Award, Performance. This article on a play from the 1990s is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres , but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer than 100. An "off-Broadway production"

333-431: Is against any relationship and works to discredit Nick. Michael Billington, in his review of the 2013 Theatre Royal Bath production for The Guardian , wrote: "But what makes the play so compelling is Greenberg's ambivalent view of his characters. We are never sure whether Lili's affable suitor, Nick, is quite what he seems, any more than we know whether Eva might be genuinely seeking to protect her fantasising daughter from

370-757: Is based on the capacity given for the respective theatre at the Internet Off-Broadway Database . Sixth Avenue (Manhattan) Sixth Avenue , also known as Avenue of the Americas , is a major thoroughfare in the New York City borough of Manhattan . The avenue is commercial for much of its length, and traffic runs northbound, or uptown. Sixth Avenue begins four blocks below Canal Street , at Franklin Street in Tribeca , where

407-486: Is officially named "Avenue of the Americas", this name is seldom used by New Yorkers. Sixth Avenue's northern end is at Central Park South , adjacent to the Artists' Gate entrance to Central Park via Center Drive . Historically, Sixth Avenue was also the name of the road that continued north of Central Park, but that segment was renamed Lenox Avenue in 1887 and co-named Malcolm X Boulevard in 1987. Sixth Avenue

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444-521: The Harlem portion of what was then considered Sixth Avenue was renamed Lenox Avenue for philanthropist James Lenox ; a century later it was co-named Malcolm X Boulevard, in honor of the slain civil rights leader Malcolm X . Starting in 1926, as part of the construction of the Holland Tunnel , Sixth Avenue was widened and extended from Minetta Lane to Canal Street . Smaller side streets in

481-679: The IND Eighth Avenue Line ( A , ​ C , and ​ E trains) south of Greenwich Avenue . The Harlem portion of Sixth Avenue ( Lenox Avenue ) is served by the IRT Lenox Avenue Line ( 2 and ​ 3 trains) north of Central Park North (110th Street). The PATH 's Uptown Hudson Tubes to New Jersey also run under Sixth Avenue ( JSQ–33 , HOB-33 , and JSQ-33 (via HOB) trains) from 9th to 33rd Streets. The M55 runs south of West 44th Street, where it terminates, while

518-695: The Jefferson Market Library ; the surviving stretch of grand department stores of 1880 to 1900 in the Ladies' Mile Historic District that runs from 18th Street to 23rd Street ; the former wholesale flower district; Herald Square at 34th Street, site of Macy's department store; and Bryant Park from 40th to 42nd Streets . The corporate stretch above 42nd Street contains the Bank of America Tower , W. R. Grace Building , International Center of Photography , Rockefeller Center (including

555-600: The Lucille Lortel Award (created in 1985 by the League of Off-Broadway Theatres & Producers), and the Drama League Award . Although off-Broadway shows are not eligible for Tony Awards , an exception was made in 1956 (before the rules were changed), when Lotte Lenya won Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical for the off-Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera . Capacity

592-901: The Time-Life Building , News Corp. Building , Exxon Building , McGraw-Hill Building , and Radio City Music Hall ) and the CBS Building . Sixth Avenue is the site of the annual Village Halloween Parade in Greenwich Village and the Dominican Day Parade in Midtown. Sixth Avenue is served by the New York City Subway with the IND Sixth Avenue Line ( B , ​ D , ​ F , <F> , and ​ M trains) north of Houston Street , and

629-482: The 1960s, the avenue was entirely rebuilt above 42nd Street as an all-but-uninterrupted avenue of corporate headquarters housed in glass slab towers of International Modernist style. Among the buildings constructed was the CBS Building at 52nd Street , by Eero Saarinen (1965), dubbed "Black Rock" for its full-height black-granite piers ; this designated landmark is Saarinen's only skyscraper . Another group of modernist structures along Sixth Avenue in midtown

666-487: The Americas" and "Sixth Avenue" in recent years. Most of the old round signs with country emblems were gone by the late 1990s, and the ones remaining, which were only present between Canal Street and Washington Place in Greenwich Village and in Midtown around 57th Street began showing signs of age. However, starting in March 2023, the city began to install new signs along most of the length of the avenue, in addition to replacing

703-667: The Broadway Box are the Laura Pels Theatre and The Theater Center . The off-Broadway movement started in the 1950s as a reaction to the perceived commercialism of Broadway and provided less expensive venues for shows that have employed many future Broadway artists. An early success was Circle in the Square Theatre 's 1952 production of Summer and Smoke by Tennessee Williams . According to theatre historians Ken Bloom and Frank Vlastnik, off-Broadway offered

740-662: The El removed. The El was closed on December 4, 1938, and came down in stages, beginning in Greenwich Village in 1938–39. The replacement Sixth Avenue subway , which ran between Houston and 53rd Streets with a transfer to the Eighth Avenue line at West Fourth Street , opened in 1940. The demolition of the Sixth Avenue elevated railway also resulted in accelerated commercial development of the avenue in Midtown . Beginning in

777-932: The Heights , Spring Awakening , Next to Normal , Hedwig and the Angry Inch , Fun Home , Hamilton , Dear Evan Hansen , Hadestown , and Kimberly Akimbo . In particular, two that became Broadway hits, Grease and A Chorus Line , encouraged other producers to premiere their shows off-Broadway. Plays that have moved from off-Broadway houses to Broadway include Doubt , I Am My Own Wife , Bridge & Tunnel , The Normal Heart , and Coastal Disturbances . Other productions, such as Stomp , Blue Man Group , Altar Boyz , Perfect Crime , Forbidden Broadway , Nunsense , Naked Boys Singing , Bat Boy: The Musical , and I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change have had runs of many years off-Broadway, never moving to Broadway. The Fantasticks ,

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814-574: The League of Off-Broadway Theatres and Producers as a professional venue in Manhattan with a seating capacity of at least 100, but not more than 499, or a production that appears in such a venue and adheres to related trade union and other contracts. Previously, regardless of the size of the venue, a theatre was considered a Broadway (rather than off-Broadway) house if it was within the "Broadway Box", extending from 40th Street north to 54th Street and from Sixth Avenue west to Eighth Avenue , including Times Square and West 42nd Street . This change to

851-516: The Sixth Avenue extension. One historian stated that most of the displaced residents were "Italian immigrants who knew no other home in America". According to the WPA Guide to New York City , the extension resulted in blank side walls facing the "uninspiring thoroughfare" and small leftover spaces. Dozens of buildings, including the original Church of Our Lady of Pompeii , were demolished. After

888-433: The avenue, showing the national seals and coats of arms of the nations honored. However, New Yorkers rarely used the avenue's newer name, and in 1955, an informal study found that locals used "Sixth Avenue" more than eight times as often as "Avenue of the Americas". The move was also criticized as "propaganda" by those who wanted to return to the original name. Since then, the thoroughfare has been labelled as both "Avenue of

925-498: The bill into law on October 2, 1945. The intent was to honor "Pan-American ideals and principles" and the nations of Central and South America, and to encourage those countries to build consulates along the avenue. It was felt at the time that the name would provide greater grandeur to a shabby street, and to promote trade with the Western Hemisphere. After the name change, round signs were attached to streetlights on

962-415: The city's Board of Aldermen as early as the mid-1860s. The IRT Sixth Avenue Line elevated railway (the "El") was constructed on Sixth Avenue in 1878, darkening the street and reducing its real-estate value. In the early and mid-1800s Sixth Avenue passed by the popular roadhouse and tavern, Old Grapevine , at the corner of 11th Street, which at the time was the northern edge of the city. In late 1887,

999-462: The contractual definition of "off-Broadway" benefited theatres satisfying the 499-seat criterion because of the lower minimum required salary for Actors' Equity performers at Off-Broadway theatres as compared with the salary requirements of the union for Broadway theatres. The adoption of the 499-seat criterion occurred after a one-day strike in January 1974. Examples of off-Broadway theatres within

1036-597: The extension's path were also demolished or incorporated into the extended avenue. The Sixth Avenue extension also allowed for the construction of the Independent Subway System (IND)'s Eighth Avenue Line , which was to run below Sixth Avenue south of Eighth Street. To accommodate the new subway, buildings were condemned and demolished to extend Sixth Avenue southward. Construction of the extension resulted in considerable dislocation to existing residents, as ten thousand people were evicted to make way for

1073-460: The lane carried 200 cyclists an hour at peak times. The barriers between the bike lane and the vehicular lanes were removed in November 1980. Manhattan Community Board 2 voted in 2014 to request a feasibility study for a protected bike lane on Sixth Avenue. The protected bike lane between 35th Street and Central Park South was reinstated in October 2020, following advocacy from cyclists. At

1110-681: The longest-running musical in theatre history, spent its original 42-year run off-Broadway and had another off-Broadway run from 2006 to 2017. Off-Broadway shows, performers, and creative staff are eligible for the following awards: the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award , the Outer Critics Circle Award , the Drama Desk Award , the Obie Award (presented since 1956 by The Village Voice ),

1147-641: The northbound Church Street divides into Sixth Avenue to the left and the local continuation of Church Street to the right, which then ends at Canal Street. From this beginning, Sixth Avenue traverses SoHo and Greenwich Village , roughly divides Chelsea from the Flatiron District and NoMad , passes through the Garment District and skirts the edge of the Theater District while passing through Midtown Manhattan . Although it

The American Plan - Misplaced Pages Continue

1184-455: The play on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre from January 2, 2009 in previews, opening January 22, and closing March 22, 2009. Directed by David Grindley, the cast featured Mercedes Ruehl and Lily Rabe . The Theatre Royal Bath presented the play from March 7 to April 6, 2013, starring Luke Allen-Gale as Nick, Diana Quick as Eva and Emily Taaffe as Lili. In 1960 Eva Adler, who

1221-437: The remaining original signs, which were aging. In the mid-1970s, the city "spruced up" the street, including the addition of patterned brick crosswalks, repainting of streetlamps, and new pedestrian plazas. Special lighting, rare throughout the rest of the city, was also installed. The administration of Mayor Ed Koch added a protected bike lane to Sixth Avenue between Eighth Street/ Greenwich Avenue and Central Park South;

1258-468: The renumbering of the street's properties in 1929, the Sixth Avenue extension was opened to traffic in 1930, and the subway line was completed two years later. Sixth Avenue, the only numbered avenue to extend south of Houston Street , thus became the southernmost numbered avenue in Manhattan. House numbering of existing buildings was adjusted. By the 1930s, a coalition of commercial establishments and building owners along Sixth Avenue campaigned to have

1295-416: The time, Sixth Avenue had two discontinuous segments of bike lanes, separated by a 20-block stretch with no bike lane. The southern segment ran from Franklin Street to Canal Street, while the northern segment ran from Eighth Street to Central Park South. Community Board 2 was reviewing plans for a protected bike lane from Lispenard Street (just south of Canal Street) to Eighth Street by mid-2024, and plans for

1332-521: Was laid out in the Commissioners' Plan of 1811 . As originally designed, Sixth Avenue's southern terminus was at Carmine Street in Greenwich Village, and it continued northward to 147th Street in Harlem. Central Park was added to the street grid in 1857 and created an interruption in Sixth Avenue between 59th and 110th Streets. Proposals to extend the street south of Carmine Street were discussed by

1369-554: Was the "XYZ Buildings" (1971–1974) at 1211 , 1221 , and 1251 Sixth Avenue. On March 10, 1957, Sixth Avenue was reconfigured to carry one-way traffic north of its intersection with Broadway in Herald Square . The rest of the avenue followed on November 10, 1963. The avenue's official name was changed to Avenue of the Americas in 1945 by the City Council, at the behest of Mayor Fiorello La Guardia , who signed

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