{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{italic title}} {{Infobox play | name = Golda's Balcony | image = GoldaBalcony.jpg | alt = | caption = | writer = William Gibson. | based_on = <!-- {{based on|title of the original work|creator of the original work}} --> | director = | music = | lyrics = | choreography = | chorus = | characters = | mute = | setting = | premiere = <!-- {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | place = | orig_lang = | series = | subject = Golda Meir | genre = Biographical | web = }}

'''''Golda's Balcony''''' is a play by William Gibson. It premiered in 2003, starring Tovah Feldshuh, and received nominations for several awards, including the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play.

== Synopsis == The play follows the trajectory of the life of Golda Meir from Russian immigrant to American schoolteacher to a leader of international politics as the fourth Prime Minister of Israel. Much of its focus is on the period surrounding the 1973 Yom Kippur War, when Israel's forces in the Golan Heights and Sinai were attacked by Egypt and Syria. Gibson's drama suggests Meir threatened Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger with the launch of nuclear weapons against her enemies, conceivably starting World War III, unless the U.S. came to her country's aid.<ref>Genzlinger, Neil (April 1, 2003). [https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/01/theater/theater-review-a-1977-golda-meir-gets-into-shape.html “A 1977 Golda Meir Gets Into Shape”]. ''New York Times''. Retrieved March 22, 2013.</ref><ref>Peres, Shimon (March 16, 2003). [https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/16/theater/theater-always-a-lioness-protecting-her-beloved-israel.html "Always a Lioness, Protecting Her Beloved Israel"]. ''New York Times''. Retrieved March 22, 2013.</ref><ref>Simon, John (November 10, 2003). [http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/theater/reviews/n_9454/ “Ding-Dong”]. ''New York Magazine''. Retrieved March 22, 2013.</ref>

The term "Golda's Balcony" refers to the nickname given to an area inside the secretive Dimona nuclear weapons facility from which visiting VIPs can observe some of the activity taking place in the underground portion of the facility.

== Production history == Gibson first explored Meir in 1977 in his multi-character work ''Golda'', which was produced on Broadway with Anne Bancroft in the title role. Never fully satisfied with the piece, he decided to tackle the subject matter, this time in the form of a one-woman play.

''Golda's Balcony'', produced by David Fishelson, opened Off-Broadway at Manhattan Ensemble Theatre ("MET") on March 26, 2003, where it sold out its entire 16-week run.<ref>Simonson, Robert (April 24, 2003). [http://www.playbill.com/article/goldas-balcony-extends-one-last-time-off-bway-what-light-thru-bway-window-breaks-com-113825 “Golda's Balcony Extends One Last Time Off-Bway; What Light Thru Bway Window Breaks?”]. ''Playbill''. Retrieved March 20, 2013.</ref> Three months after closing Off-Broadway, the MET production, also starring Tovah Feldshuh and produced by Fishelson (directed by Scott Schwartz), opened on October 15, 2003 at the Helen Hayes Theatre, where it ran for 14 previews and 493 performances, making it the longest-running one-woman show in Broadway history.<ref>Kuchwara, Michael (October 15, 2003). [https://apnews.com/9357359c86792a2ed63cb7efef307f5a “Golda Meir, Public and Private, On Stage”]. ''Associated Press''. Retrieved March 22, 2013.</ref><ref>Simonson, Robert (September 23, 2004). [http://www.playbill.com/article/goldas-balcony-becomes-longest-running-one-woman-show-in-bway-history-oct-3-com-122091 “Golda’s Balcony Becomes Longest-Running One-Woman Show in Bway History Oct. 3”]. ''Playbill''. Retrieved March 22, 2013.</ref>

Feldshuh was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play and won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance.

In 2006 the play was adapted into a film of the same title, starring Valerie Harper.

In 2019 a 4-camera shoot of the play, starring Tovah Feldshuh was made into a film called ''Golda's Balcony'' for film festival exhibition only. By April 2019, this new film was in 24 announced film festivals in the United States.<ref>[https://www.goldasbalcony.org/ “Golda’s Balcony, The Longest-Running One-Woman Show in Broadway History Is Now a Film ”]. ''Golda's Balcony, The Film (2019)'' website. Retrieved January 25, 2019.</ref>

==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Award !Category !Nominee !Result !Ref. |- |rowspan=3|2003 |rowspan=2|Drama Desk Award |Outstanding Solo Performance |Tovah Feldshuh |{{won}} |rowspan=2|<ref>{{cite web |last=Simonson |first=Robert |title=Hairspray Leads 2003 Drama Desk Award Nominations |url=https://playbill.com/article/hairspray-leads-2003-drama-desk-award-nominations-com-112941 |website=Playbill |date=May 1, 2003 |access-date=January 3, 2026}}</ref> |- |Outstanding Sound Design |Mark Bennett |{{nom}} |- |Outer Critics Circle Award |Outstanding Solo Performance |rowspan=2|Tovah Feldshuh |{{nom}} |<ref>{{cite web |last=Gans |first=Andrew |title=Outer Critics Circle Award Winners Announced; Hairspray Leads the Pack |url=https://playbill.com/article/outer-critics-circle-award-winners-announced-hairspray-leads-the-pack-com-112996 |website=Playbill |date=May 5, 2003 |access-date=September 3, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2002–2003 Awards |url=https://outercritics.org/awards/2002–2003/ |website=Outer Critics Circle |access-date=September 2, 2025}}</ref> |- |2004 |Tony Award |Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play |{{nom}} |<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/year/2004/category/any/show/any/ |title=2004 Tony Awards Nominees |author=<!--Not stated--> |publisher=American Theatre Wing |access-date=August 11, 2023}}</ref> |}

==References== <references/>

== External links == * [https://www.goldasbalcony.org/ 2019 FILM VERSION WEBSITE] * [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0860418/combined Internet Movie Database listing] * [http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=13535 Internet Broadway Database listing] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20140812210903/http://www.lortel.org/lla_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show Internet Off-Broadway Database listing] * [https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/16/theater/theater-always-a-lioness-protecting-her-beloved-israel.html New York Times feature]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Goldas Balcony}} Category:2003 plays Category:Plays by William Gibson (playwright) Category:Broadway plays Category:Plays for one performer Category:Plays set in the 1970s Category:Biographical plays about politicians Category:Plays set in Israel Category:American plays adapted into films Category:Cultural depictions of Golda Meir