Picnic (play)

Picnic
2001 Picnic production at Jacksonville University: Millie in foreground; Madge and Hal in background
Written by	William Inge
Characters	Hal Carter Madge Owens Alan Seymour Millie Owens Flo Owens
Date premiered	February 19, 1953
Place premiered	Music Box Theatre New York City, New York
Original language	English
Genre	Drama
Setting	A small town in Kansas

Picnic is a 1953 play by William Inge. The play was premiered at the Music Box Theatre, Broadway, on 19 February 1953 in a Theatre Guild production, directed by Joshua Logan, which ran for 477 performances.

The original cast featured Ralph Meeker, Eileen Heckart, Arthur O'Connell, Janice Rule, Reta Shaw, Kim Stanley and Paul Newman. Inge won the 1953 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the work, and Logan received a Tony Award for Best Director. The play also won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play of the season.

Picnic was Paul Newman's Broadway debut. An unknown at the time, Newman campaigned heavily for the leading role of Hal, but director Joshua Logan did not think Newman was physically large enough to convey the lead character's athletic attributes. As a result, Ralph Meeker was given the role of Hal opposite Janice Rule as Madge. Newman played Hal's former college roommate Alan Seymour while understudying the role of Hal. Newman eventually took over the lead role.

It is Labor Day, and everyone is preparing for a neighborhood picnic. Hal Carter, a drifter, arrives in town looking for work and visits his college friend Alan, who is dating Madge Owens with the intent to marry her. Hal does odd jobs for the welcoming Helen Potts. Her neighbor, Flo Owens, distrusts Hal, especially around her daughters, Madge and Millie. Since shy Millie does not have a date, neighbor Mrs. Potts suggests that Hal accompany her, much to the chagrin of Flo. Hal agrees, but he is much more interested in Madge. There is an undeniable attraction between the two, as much as they try to fight it. While getting ready for the picnic, the family and friends dance in Flo’s backyard to music playing nearby. Hal grows on both Millie and Madge, and they both vie for his attention. As Madge and Hal dance passionately, Millie gets sick from drinking too much whiskey while no one is paying attention. Hal accidentally offends Rosemary, the schoolteacher, who then screams at him, and Flo joins in criticizing him.