The Party After the ‘Cocktail Party’

After A. R. Gurney’s “The Cocktail Party” opened Thursday night at the Doolittle Theater, the drinks were at the Columbia Bar & Grill and the buzz was about WASPs. It’s fair to say the American playwright knows how to sting the WASP’s psyche.

One guest groused about “living in the Reagan-Bush era of the boring WASP,” but most were glad that Gurney was around to liven up the saga of America’s nouveau non-ethnics.

“He’s the chronicler of the WASP experience,” said producing director Gordon Davidson. Comedian Louis Nye called the play “WASPy but wonderful,” and Terri Childs said, “This must be WASP week in Los Angeles” since Gurney’s “Love Letters” just opened at the Canon Theater in Beverly Hills.

Among the guests at the opening were Angela Lansbury, Melissa Gilbert, Michael Nouri, Jack Klugman, Gavin McCloud, Donna Mills, Joanne Kozberg, Nancy Livingston, and Dennis and Terry Stanfill.

There had been some nervousness among the cast about bringing the play to Los Angeles because, in the words of co-star Nancy Marchand, it might be “too WASPy and not show bizzy” enough. All fears were allayed by the warm opening-night reception, which director Jack O’Brien ascribed to the cast having worked together for two years.

“They’re like the Melos String Quartet,” O’Brien said. “They know each other so well they breathe together.” They breathe at the Doolittle until July 1.