It’s May, 1946, and as the war draws to an end, a young soldier returns home to the Bronx apartment where he was raised. Hoping his homecoming will repair his parents’ troubled marriage, Timmy Cleary presses for small acts of reconciliation, only to expose years of resentment and emotional distance. As tensions rise, the family is forced to confront the truth of their relationships and the life they share. With heart, depth, and emotional bravery, The Subject Was Roses is a tale of a family struggling to see one another clearly for the first time.

“I truly do love this play, and have a long history with it, so bringing The Subject Was Roses to life at the Westport Country Playhouse feels deeply personal and meaningful. A landmark of American drama, it is gratifying to present it once more on a stage long devoted to works of emotional truth and humanity. This is a play that is equally humorous and heart-wrenchingly honest, and reminds us of the humanity that shapes our most meaningful relationships. It’s a story with themes that continue to echo across the generations.”
– Director, Joe Delafield

“After recently presenting a number of exciting new and contemporary works, I’m thrilled for our popular reading series revisit to a classic play with a long and meaningful history at the Playhouse. Frank Gilroy’s The Subject Was Roses is a Pulitzer Prize-winning drama that took Broadway by storm in 1965 that remains as powerful as it did when it premiered. The play was produced at the Playhouse in 1966 and again in 1982, and it feels long overdue for a return. I’m especially excited to welcome audience favorite Joe Delafield, to direct this script-in-hand reading, alongside a remarkable cast. Joe brings a deep understanding of the play’s emotional clarity and restraint, making him an ideal guide for this intimate evening. The play’s focus on unspoken tensions and one family’s emotional distance remain strikingly relevant, portraying a family living with the consequences of years of misunderstanding. I have no doubt The Subject Was Roses will deeply move Playhouse audiences today just as it did in the past.”
– Script in Hand Curator, Mark Shanahan

Artwork by Steve Pacek