BroadwayRadio – “All the Drama: ‘The Gin Game’, 1978 Winner, Pulitzer Prize for Drama”

Episode Date: February 14, 2026
Host: Jan Simpson
Special Guest: Patricia Bruder Dubrovnur

Episode Overview

This episode of All the Drama is dedicated to the 1978 Pulitzer Prize-winning play “The Gin Game” by D.L. Coburn, exploring its creation, themes, enduring relevance, and the recent death of the playwright. Host Jan Simpson is joined by actress and producer Patricia Bruder Dubrovnur to discuss both the legacy of the play and its ethical dimensions, particularly as they relate to aging and loneliness.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Life and Career of D.L. Coburn (01:05 – 12:41)

• Background:

  • D.L. Coburn was born in Baltimore, 1938, faced early family hardship: parents’ divorce, mother’s illness, years spent in a group home.
  • Navy service after high school, later entered advertising.
  • Became inspired to write plays after seeing a stage adaptation of Gogol’s “Diary of a Madman.”
  • The Gin Game was his first play and the only one of his works to achieve significant production and acclaim.

• The Play’s Genesis:

  • Initially written, then set aside until prompted by his young son to return to it.
  • Debuted in 1976 in a small Los Angeles theater; quickly gained attention.

• Major Productions and Accolades:

  • Picked up by prominent theater figures, including Hume Cronin and Jessica Tandy, who, with director Mike Nichols, brought it to Broadway.
  • Broadway run of 517 performances; nominated for four Tony Awards.
  • Won Pulitzer due to its originality, invention, and staying power.
  • Produced worldwide, revived multiple times (including with notable stars like Dick Van Dyke & Mary Tyler Moore, James Earl Jones & Cicely Tyson).

• Play’s Structure and Themes:

  • “The gin game unfolds in a series of scenes on the porch of a rundown retirement home where an elderly man named Weller and an elderly woman named Fonzia played gin rummy. (...) At its core, The Gin Game is actually a tragedy about the loneliness and fears of old age and about how people can get stuck in repeating the same mistakes over and over again throughout their lives.” (09:13)
  • The play’s simplicity is deceptive: can be played as comedy, but contains deep tragedy and commentary on human nature and the challenges of aging.

2. The Ethics and Theatre Program at Ethical Culture Society (12:41 – 13:59)

• Program Introduction:

  • Patricia Bruder Dubrovnur started the program in 2005.
  • Monthly readings of different plays, followed by discussions on ethical issues raised by each work.
  • “The Gin Game” was among the earlier plays featured.

• Program’s Purpose:

  • “Ethics and the Theatre gives our members and guests a chance to watch a play reading. (...) We have the audience discuss the ethical issues in the play.” (13:05)

3. The Ethical Questions Raised by “The Gin Game” (13:59 – 19:20)

• Character Dynamics:

  • Focus on whether the characters help or hurt one another.
  • “Were they acting toward the other character in such a way that would help to bring out the best in that character, or is it instead bringing out just frustration, which happens a lot in The Gin Game.” (14:39)

• Complex Depiction of Aging:

  • Both characters struggle with loneliness, pride, and self-deception.
  • “They lie to each other quite a bit. I think that they're embarrassed about the fact that neither his son nor her son comes to visit.” (16:54)

• Frustration and Offense:

  • “He just ends up throwing the cards up in the air, turning the table upside down, just calling her a witch.” (18:24)
  • The characters’ behaviors are metaphors for deeper life frustrations.

4. Why “The Gin Game” Won the Pulitzer (18:01 – 24:11)

• Universal Issues:

  • “I think that the whole issue of loneliness and feeling rejected, especially, you know, when they're old and need more than ever to have others appreciate them and want to spend time with them.” (18:24)
  • The play sparks empathy for those who do not have strong emotional or familial support in old age.
  • The discussion highlights that the award perhaps reflected a societal recognition of the importance of caring for the elderly.

• Play’s Lasting Impact:

  • “Coburn's play sort of deals with those who haven't been as fortunate. [...] it helps to remind those who have been more fortunate than Weller and Fonzia that there are people whose lives have not been as easy.” (23:23)

5. The Playwright’s Perspective and Portrayal of Age (19:55 – 25:20)

• Coburn’s Own Experience:

  • Recognition that Coburn, under 40 when he wrote the play, captured the pain of aging and alienation despite not being elderly himself.
  • Discussed whether Coburn’s family history or experience influenced his ability to write authentically about older characters.

• Dubrovnur’s Personal Contrast:

  • Patricia describes her own life as happy and full of support, a stark contrast to the characters.
  • “I am 88 years old and I, my whole life have had so many positive opportunities and haven't had to feel like I was a failure.” (20:28)

6. The Importance of Remembrance and Empathy (24:34 – 26:46)

• Encouraging Reflection:

  • The play inspires discussion on societal support for the aged and the responsibility of younger generations.
  • “Maybe one of the reasons that it was given award is that the people giving the award felt that it was important for people to try to help the elderly and to be supportive.” (24:11)

• The Play’s Ongoing Legacy:

  • Regular revivals and readings demonstrate the play’s continued resonance.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Deceptive Simplicity:
  “It’s a deceptively simple play that can be done as a comedy about two old folks bonding and bickering, but at its core, The Gin Game is actually a tragedy about the loneliness and fears of old age...” — Jan Simpson (09:13)

• On Ethical Dilemmas:
  “Were they acting toward the other character in such a way that would help to bring out the best in that character, or is it instead bringing out just frustration, which happens a lot in The Gin Game.” — Patricia Bruder Dubrovnur (14:39)

• On Personal Fortune:
  “I am 88 years old and I, my whole life have had so many positive opportunities and haven't had to feel like I was a failure.” — Patricia Bruder Dubrovnur (20:28)

• On Empathy and the Play’s Message:
  “Coburn's play sort of deals with those who haven't been as fortunate. [...] it helps to remind those who have been more fortunate than Weller and Fonzia that there are people whose lives have not been as easy.” — Jan Simpson (23:23)

• On Legacy and Purpose:
  “Maybe one of the reasons that it was given award is that the people giving the award felt that it was important for people to try to help the elderly and to be supportive.” — Patricia Bruder Dubrovnur (24:11)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:05 – Introduction to 1978 and D.L. Coburn’s biography
• 07:37 – How “The Gin Game” came to be; early production history
• 09:13 – The play’s themes and structure
• 12:41 – Patricia Bruder Dubrovnur joins; introduction of Ethics and Theatre
• 14:39 – Discussion of Weller and Fonzia’s relationship
• 16:54 – Dynamics of honesty and embarrassment in old age
• 18:24 – Why “The Gin Game” resonated with Pulitzer jurors
• 20:28 – Patricia’s personal reflection on aging and fortune
• 23:23 – Contrast between play’s characters and her own life
• 24:11 – Importance of supporting the elderly as a theme
• 25:20 – Coburn’s familial influences and personal background

Final Thoughts and Tone

The episode is both a history lesson and a meditative conversation on empathy, aging, and theater’s role in society. The tone is reflective, compassionate, and gently humorous, especially in Patricia’s personal anecdotes. The dialogue encourages listeners to think about how art can foster discussion on pressing social and ethical issues, particularly the oft-overlooked topic of aging and the need for community support.