June 2, 8, 9, 1957
In The Teahouse of the August Moon, John Patrick fashioned a wise and witty play of the difficulties faced by the American Army in its occupation of Okinawa. When Occidental "get up and go" meets Oriental "take things slow" it is a delightful battle of cultures. In teaching the Okinawans democracy, the Americans learn a great deal about life and themselves.
The exquisite teahouse, designed and painted by Dorothy Lahr, blended beautifully into the Forest Theatre.
The play featured a nanny goat who tested the safety of "moonshine" by drinking it from a helmet. The goat's cooperation was assured by filling the helmet with goat chow and keeping her on short rations prior to her cue. The rations were a bit too short in one performance. Lady Astor, the goat, was absent for the finale; she was in the woods eating the bushes.
One rehearsal weekend, the cast and crew were treated to a (more-or-less) authentic Japanese sukiyaki dinner to get them into the mood. The electric frying pans used to cook the sukiyaki really taxed the electrical system.
To help set the mood on play days, bamboo chimes hung from the trees and Marion Castor sprayed the rhododendrons along the trail with perfume.
About 3,000 people saw "Teahouse," smashing all previous records.
