All Summer Long: A Drama in Two Acts.

Samuel French acting edition of Robert Anderson’s drama, adapted from Donald Wetzel’s novel A Wreath and a Curse. Duodecimo, original printed wrappers, illustrated with production photographs. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author to the director of the Broadway production on the front free endpaper, “Dear Alan, Thanks for all you did for this play. If it hadn’t been for you, it would never have seen the light of Broadway. It was tough; it was rugged, but I think we came out with something we could be proud of. Good luck, R.A.” Alan Schneider directed the premiere of All Summer Long, which opened at the Coronet Theatre in September 1954, the inscription a direct acknowledgment of his part in bringing the play to the stage. Schneider was among the foremost American directors of his generation and the great champion of the postwar stage in the United States: he directed the American premiere of Beckett’s Waiting for Godot in 1956 and remained Beckett’s preferred American director, staged the United States premieres of Pinter’s plays from the 1962 off-Broadway double bill of The Dumb Waiter and The Collection through the Broadway premiere of The Birthday Party in 1967, and won the 1963 Tony Award for Best Direction for the original production of Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Near fine in a very good dust jacket with toning to the spine and light wear. An exceptional association copy.