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The Schoolhouse Theater will be running the U.S. premiere of "And Give Us The Shadows" by popular Swedish playwright Lars Noren. The play opens Thursday and runs through Nov. 10.
"And Give Us The Shadows" takes place on O'Neill's 61st birthday in 1948, as he and his third wife, Carlotta, await the arrival of O'Neill's sons from previous marriages.
The play is directed by Moni Yakim, one of the original faculty members of the Juilliard Drama School, who has worked with Ryan Gosling and Harvey Keitel.
"Eugene O'Neill is the most influential classical playwright in America," Yakim said. "Doing a play about him is an absolute privilege."
While the play is fictional, Nolen, who Yakim described as being obsessed with O'Neill, spent years doing research on him.
"He came out of this with an unbelievable amount of respect for O'Neill," Yakim said.
The play focuses on the relationship between O'Neill and his wife and the strained relationship O'Neill had one with his sons.
"There was not much of a relationship between father and children," Yakim said. "He neglected them quite ruthlessly. He didn't care much for them, they were always a burden."
Yakim said he has fallen in love with the Schoolhouse Theater.
"I think it's lovely," Yakim said. "I hope to erect more productions there. I really hope this leads to more adventures that are impossible to do elsewhere."
Individual tickets are $35 on Thursday and Friday and $37 on Saturday and Sunday and can be reserved by calling the box office at 914-277-8477. Subscriptions for the season are also available. The Schoolhouse is at 3 Owens Road, Croton Falls, just off exit 8 on I-684
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