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For Openers...

TheaterMania's Joseph Marzullo is there as Wonderful Town and Henry IV open, and as the Oldest Living Confederate Widow opens and closes.

By Joseph Marzullo • Dec 31, 1969 • New York City






Fully recovered from the flu that caused her to miss a week's worth of preview performances, Donna Murphy opened as Ruth Sherwood in the first Broadway revival of Wonderful Town last night -- and the critics raved. Here's Murphy taking her curtain call at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.























Co-star Jennifer Westfeldt takes center stage to accept applause for her performance as darlin' Eileen Sherwood.


















People seemed to be having an especially wonderful time at the opening night bash for Wonderful Town, held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. (Perhaps word of the show's reviews had leaked out.) Among the celebrants were the revival's beaming producers, Fran and Barry Weissler....













...Kathleen Marshall, who directed and choreographed the show, pictured here in a moment of sibling revelry with her brother Rob Marshall (director of the multiple-Oscar-winning film version of Chicago)...












...the warm family unit of Gregg Edelman (who plays Bob Baker in Wonderful Town), Carolee Carmello (who may currently be seen as Penelope Pennywise in Urinetown) and daughter Zoe (who hasn't yet made her Broadway debut).













...and two generations of Ruth Sherwoods: Lauren Bacall (who played the role in a 1977 tour) and the glowing Donna Murphy.


















Another show that recently opened to rapturous reviews is the Lincoln Center Theater production of Henry IV. Here is star Kevin Kline, a.k.a. Falstaff, at the first night party, held at Tavern on the Green on Thursday, November 20. (Doesn't Kline look like he's almost ready to play Santa Claus?)















On hand to help celebrate Henry IV's opening were two women who co-starred with Kevin Kline in two famous films. Here's Kline with Meryl Streep (Sophie's Choice)...




















...and here he is with Glenn Close (The Big Chill).


















Also partying at Tavern were Henry IV co-stars Dana Ivey (who plays Lady Northumberland and Mistress Quickly)...



















...Michael Hayden (Prince Hal)...




















...and Audra McDonald (Lady Percy) and Ethan Hawke (Hotspur).

















Alas, negative reviews have been much more common than positive ones on Broadway this season. Trounced by the critics, Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All opened and closed on the same evening: Monday, November 17. Still, there was an opening night party at The Supper Club, at which our photographer caught star Ellen Burstyn...

















...and director Don Scardino, whose experience playing Jesus (in Godspell) wasn't enough to help him breathe life into this show.


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