Which play did George Farquhar write that is cited as an early NYC production?

• A. The Recruiting Officer
• B. The Beaux' Stratagem
• C. The Constant Couple
• D. Love for Love

Answer: (A)

This question is about early American theatre and which of Farquhar’s plays reached New York in the earliest wave of colonial productions. The Recruiting Officer is the one most often cited as an early NYC production because it was among the first of Farquhar’s comedies to travel to the colonies and be staged in New York as the city was building its theatrical scene. Its lively, accessible humor and straightforward romantic escapades suited colonial audiences and the managers who were bringing English plays over across the Atlantic.

The other Farquhar plays—The Beaux' Stratagem, The Constant Couple, and Love for Love—are well known in London and later American repertoires, but they are not typically singled out as early NYC productions. So when the question asks which play is cited as an early New York production, the Recruiting Officer is the best fit.