''I Never Promised You a Rose Garden'' is a 2004 play based on

Joanne Greenberg Joanne Greenberg (born September 24, 1932, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American author who published some of her work under the pen name of Hannah Green. She was a professor of anthropology at the Colorado School of Mines and a volunteer Emerge ...

's 1964 novel of the same name. The play was written by Colorado playwright Walter L. Newton with full cooperation of the book's author Joanne Greenberg. It was directed by Rick Bernstein, and premiered at Miners Alley Playhouse in

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Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...

to positive reviews in both ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' and ''

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''. The play expanded on the original story by including new information about Dr. Frieda Fromm-Reichmann from Gail Hornstein's autobiography ''To Redeem One Person Is To Redeem The World''. The play also restored the anti-Semitic and Jewish elements of the book that were removed from the film. ''Variety'' said "…the dramatic arc is a compelling mix of personal, familial and professional themes that represents the actual events in a way the 1977 film does not. Newton's coup de grace, a multilayered denouement in which the fortunes of Deborah and Dr. Fried reverse, is an especially imaginative piece of writing". In 2013, a brief series of benefit performances was held in Golden, Colorado for the playwright, who himself suffered from a debilitating mental illness from 2011 until his death in 2022.

References

External links

''I Never Promised You A Rose Garden'' - The Play - Playwright's website

Publisher - Next Stage Press
{{Joanne Greenberg 2004 plays Plays based on novels Psychotherapy in fiction