Overview
Synopsis
Plaza Suite portrays three couples who each occupy Suite 719 at the Plaza Hotel at different stages throughout the year. First up, is a suburban couple who have come to the hotel to celebrate their 24th wedding anniversary...or is it their 23rd? Or is it actually their anniversary at all? They are succeeded by a Hollywood hotshot who has returned to New York to seek out his (now married) high school girlfriend. After three doomed marriages, he is eager to remind himself of the sweet innocence of a suburban woman...with a little sexual diversion along the way. However, her obsession with Hollywood and overindulgence in the vodka stingers gives him more than he bargained for. Finally, the suite is occupied by a couple who are about to celebrate the wedding of their daughter...if they can get her out of the bathroom. Tension rises and tempers flare as all their attempts to get her to unlock the door fail. Neil Simon’s witty and piercing observation of love, marriage, and contentment offers a unique challenge for two talented actors to play three very different couples.
Show Information
- Book
- Neil Simon
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1968
- Genres
- Comedy
- Settings
- Period, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- Suite 719 of the Plaza Hotel, New York City, 1960s
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- College/University, Regional Theatre, Professional Theatre, Star Vehicle Female, Star Vehicle Male, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Mature Adult, Adult, Young Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plaza Suite had a short out of town run at the Colonial Theatre in Boston, before premiering on Broadway at the Plymouth Theatre in February 1968. Directed by Mike Nichols, the play ran for 1,097 performances before closing in October 1970. Nichols won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play and Neil Simon was nominated for Best Play, but lost out to Tom Stoppard (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead). A national tour ran at the same time as the Broadway production, from October 1968
to read the context for Plaza Suite and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
One late winter afternoon, Karen Nash arrives at Suite 719 of the Plaza Hotel, New York City. She is amazed by the changes in the city and keeps the bellhop waiting while she double (and triple) checks that she is in the correct room as this was the place she spent her honeymoon 24 years ago. Ordering a bottle of champagne, she hastily gets ready for her husband but she has only managed to remove one galosh by the time he arrives. Limping to the door, she welcomes Sam into the
to read the plot for Plaza Suite and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
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Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
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Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
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Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
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Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher