37 pages • 1 hour read
Lost In Yonkers
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
Lost in Yonkers is a play by American playwright Neil Simon that premiered in 1991. It centers around Jay Kurnitz, a teenage boy sent with his younger brother, Arty, to live with his grandmother in Yonkers. Many critics consider the play, which debuted to overwhelming critical acclaim, one of Simon’s best works. It explores themes of abbreviated childhood, war, and generational trauma. Lost in Yonkers won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama upon its release, and its Broadway debut nearly swept the Tony Awards, including winning Best Play. It has been staged around the US many times since its original 780-performance Broadway run. In 1993, it was adapted into a feature film directed by Martha Coolidge, which cast several members of the Broadway cast.
This guide uses the 1991 Random House edition of the script.
Content Warning: The source material and this guide contain discussions of child abuse, child death, physical abuse, sexual abuse, trauma, antisemitism, and intellectual disability.
Plot Summary
Lost in Yonkers begins in 1942, with teenage brothers Jay and Arty Kurnitz waiting in their grandmother’s living room while in another room, their father, Eddie, asks her to take the boys in. Grandma lives in an apartment above the family candy shop with her younger daughter, Unlock all 37 pages of this Study Guide Plus, gain access to 8,900+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
Related Titles
By Neil Simon
