Chronology: 1976

In late 1975, Meryl Streep had auditioned for Phoenix Theatre in New York and made her debut with roles in two one-act plays, which were performed on the same evenings – Tennessee Williams‘ „27 Wagons Full of Cotton“ and Atrhur Miller’s „A Memory of Two Mondays“. John Lithgow, who was one of Phoenix’s four directors, had already heard of „the young Yale Drama School girl who had fared so well in „Trelawny of the Wells“ at Lincoln Center“ and considers their first meeting at the Phoenix Theatre as the last audition of her career. She received glowing reviews for both plays, received an Outer Critics Circle Award, World Theatre Award and a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress for „27 Wagons Full of Cotton“. Together with Lithgow, she co-starred ina production of William Gillette’s „Secret Service“. In the Summer of 1976, Meryl Streep was swept away by the Public Theatre. Joseph Papp cast her in the female leads in both „Henry V.“, which was performed in Central Park, as well as Isabella in „Measure for Measure“ opposite John Cazale. Meryl also narrated a voiceover for the first time, in the animated feature „Everybody Rides The Carousel“.

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