The Big Meal
- Written by Dan LeFranc
- Directed by Sam Gold
Playwrights Horizons: The Big Meal (Drama Desk and Lortel nominations). Other Off-Broadway: Sixty Miles to Silver Lake (Soho Rep./Page 73, New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award). Regional: Troublemaker, or the Freakin Kick-A Adventures of Bradley Boatright (Berkeley Rep); Bruise Easy (American Theater Company); The Big Meal (American Theater Company, Joseph Jefferson Award, Time Out Chicago #1 Play of the Year). International: The Big Meal (UK, Stockholm, Shanghai). TV: “The Affair” (Showtime; Golden Globe, Best Drama; Writers Guild Award nom.), Steve McQueen’s “Codes of Conduct” (HBO). Residencies: Sundance Theatre Lab, MacDowell Colony, Djerassi, Jaw West, Mellon Foundation Playwright-In-Residence, Playwrights Horizons 2013-16. Alumnus: New Dramatists, SohoRep. Writer/Director Lab, MCC Writers’ Group, SPACE at Ryder Farm’s Working Farm. Board member: Page 73. Instructor: Yale School of Drama.
Somewhere in America, in a typical suburban restaurant on a typical night, Sam and Nicole meet. And sparks fly, setting in motion an expansive tale that traverses five generations of a modern family, from first kiss to final goodbye. A stunning, big-hearted play that spans nearly eighty years in a single sitting, The Big Meal tells the extraordinary story of an ordinary family
Featuring
David Wilson Barnes
Griffin Birney
Tom Bloom
Anita Gillette
Jennifer Mudge
Rachel Resheff
Cameron Scoggins
Phoebe Strole
Molly Ward
Broadway: The Lieutenant of Inishmore. Off-Broadway: All New People, Becky Shaw (Second Stage, Drama League Honor for Becky Shaw), Lady, St. Crispin’s Day (Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre), Vengance (stageFARM/Cherry Lane), The Attic (The Play Company), Men Without Shadows (The Flea), The Square (Ma Yi Theatre Company/The Public Theatre), Hamlet (The Public Theatre), Jail Bait (The Cherry Lane), The Caucasian Chalk Circle (La Mama ETC.). London: Becky Shaw (Almeida, Evening Standard nom.). Regional: The A.R.T., Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, Geva Theatre, The City Theatre, The Long Wharf, The Cape Playhouse, Acadia Rep. Television: “A Gifted Man,” “30 Rock,” “The Eastmans” (pilot, series regular), “Sex and the City,” “Law & Order,” “L & O: C I,” “L & O: SVU,” “Conviction,” “All My Children,” “As The World Turns.” Film: The Bourne Legacy, You Don’t Know Jack, Love and Other Drugs, Company Men, Taking Woodstock, Seducing Charlie Barker, Capote.
Aged 11, is from CT and is so excited to be working at Playwrights Horizons. He last performed in the U.S. Tour of Billy Elliot (Michael), and at The Goodspeed Opera House in Annie Get Your Gun (Little Jake). Thank you to my immediate and extended family for all your love and support, especially my mom who sacrificed so much for me. (As of March 2012)
Broadway: Cyrano, Henry IV, and Racing Demon. Off-Broadway: Timon of Athens (NYSF); The Widow’s Blind Date (Circle in the Square); All’s Well that Ends Well (TFANA); Arms and the Man (Roundabout); The Winter’s Tale (Classic Stage Company). Also: Lincoln Center, MTC, Pearl, Playwrights Horizons. Regional: The Clean House (Yale Rep); Taming of the Shrew (Shakespeare Theatre, DC); Much Ado About Nothing (Two Rivers); Ah, Wilderness! (Baltimore Center Stage); Learned Ladies of Park Ave. (Hartford Stage); The Rivals, Taming of the Shrew, many more (Williamstown); Other Regional: Portland Stage (ME), Portland Center (OR), George Street, Guthrie, Huntington, McCarter, NY Stage & Film, Bard SummerScape, Buffalo Studio, Trinity Rep, others. Film/TV: The Thomas Crown Affair, Joshua, Emperor’s Club, Best Thief In The World, Max Bickford, “Damages,” “Wonderland,” “Ed,” “Law & Order: SVU” and “Criminal Intent,” “The Jury.” Directing: Abingdon Theatre, Pearl Theatre Co., NYC; Capital Rep; Theatre-By-The-Sea, NH; Caldwell Theatre, FL; American Premiere Stage, Boston (A.D.), others. (As of March 2012)
is a Broadway veteran with 14 shows to her credit including Chapter Two (Tony nomination, L.A. Drama Critics Award), Carnival, They’re Playing Our Song, All American, Mr. President, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Don’t Drink The Water, Jimmy, Guys & Dolls. Off-Broadway: Love, Loss, & What I Wore; Juno; Guare’s Rich & Famous; Flamingo Court; Travesties; The Importance Of Being Earnest. Regional: Shirley Valentine, The Seagull, South Pacific, Skin Of Our Teeth (to name a few). Films include Moonstruck, Shall We Dance, The Guru, Bob Roberts, Boys On The Side, She’s The One. She is Tina Fey’s mother on “30 Rock.” Audiences know her from “CSI” or her many game shows such as “Pyramid,” or from “Quincy,” “Sex and the City,” or “Frasier.” She recently filmed Ed Burns’ new film A Fitzgerald Christmas and Shake It Up for Disney. She performsher one woman show After All whenever she can. (As of March 2012)
Broadway: The Philanthropist (Roundabout), Reckless (MTC). Off-Broadway: Oohrah! (Atlantic), Dutchman (Cherry Lane, Drama Desk Nomination), Fault Lines (Naked Angels), Geometry of Fire and The Pavilion (Rattlestick), The Stendhal Syndrome (Primary Stages). Regional: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Geffen Playhouse); also Sundance, Williamstown, Arena Stage, Bay Street, CATF, Trinity Rep, Westport Playhouse, NY Stage & Film. Film/TV: “Boss” (recurring), “The Good Wife,” “Mercy,” “Canterbury’s Law,” “Law & Order,”“L&O: CI,” “Life is Wild,” Price Check (upcoming), The Stand-Up, You Don’t Know Jack (HBO), Drifting Elegant, Sonnet for a Town Car. 2007 Seldes–Kanin Fellowship. Member, Actors Center Workshop Co. and Theater of War. (As of May 2012)
Age 11. Broadway: The People in the Picture (Jenny, originated role, lead, cast album), Mary Poppins (Jane Banks: 2010; returned 2011), Billy Elliot (Julie Hope, Debbie u/s), Shrek The Musical (Young Fiona, original cast). Off-Broadway/Staged Readings/Workshops: Suprema (Olive Ann, The Eugene O’Neill Center National Music Theater Conference and New Dramatists), The Kid Who Would Be Pope (Ali, female lead, NYMF), Back in Jesus Days (Little ‘Un, Martian Entertainment), Stockholm Pennsylvania (Young Leia, Playwrights Horizons), Laughing Matters (Jenny, Roundabout), Freckleface Strawberry (title role, MMAC), The Family (Emily). Film: 3 Backyards (Christina, lead, Sundance 2010 winner Best Direction), Tick Tock Time Emporium (Max, lead). TV: “Electric Company,” “Wonder Pets,” “Chuggington,” “Pinky Dinky Doo.” Appearances/ Recordings: Drama League Benefit Gala, 2012; Macy’s Day Parade (with Billy Elliot); Beaches demos (Little Cee Cee, Little Bertie). Thanks/Love: my family, Todd, Stephen, Janine, Steve, Joan, Marc, Anya, Michael, David, Donna, Iris, Dan, Adam G., Sam. AEA, SAG, AFTRA. (As of March 2012)
Playwrights Horizons: Pocatello, The Big Meal. Off-Broadway: Lovers (Becket Theatre). Regional: On Golden Pond (Triad Stage). Juilliard Theatre: Proof, Merchant of Venice, Macbeth, Ionescopade, American Clock, Hedda Gabler and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Film/TV: Ironweed, Hunter and Game, The Happy Sad, “The Blacklist,” “Only Human,” “Black Box,” “Person of Interest,” “Elementary,” “The Good Wife.”
Broadway: Spring Awakening (original cast). Off-Broadway: The Metal Children (Vineyard), Mourning Becomes Electra (New Group), Spring Awakening. Other: F 2M (NY Stage & Film), Parade (Center Theater Group), Girls I’ve Like Liked (Ars Nova, Comedy Central Stage L.A.), A Different Moon (Penguin Rep). Film: Hamlet 2, My One & Only, The Lonely Pair. TV: “30 Rock,” “Sorority Wars,” “Mercy,” “Rescue Me,” “Law & Order: CI,” “Stella.” Thank you Estelle, Barry, and dad. Let’s eat. (As of March 2012)
New York: Bathsheba Doran’s Kin (Playwrights Horizons); The Tenant (Woodshed Collective); Keep Your Baggage With You (Theater for the New City); Nick Jones’ Nosemaker’s Apprentice (Brick Theater); Crystal Skillman’s Nobody (RPR); End of Lines, The Shape of Metal (59E59 Theaters); Umbrella Plays (FringeNYC); The Lacy Project (Ice Factory Festival); and Richard Foreman’s Paradise Hotel. World Premieres of Wendy MacLeod’s Find and Sign (Pioneer Theater) and Theresa Rebeck’s Our House (Denver Center); Three Sisters, The Seagull and Romeo and Juliet (American Repertory Theater), Camille (Bard Summerscape), Othello (Hartford Stage). International: Krystian Lupa’s Three Sisters (Edinburgh International Festival). TV: Ali LeRoi’s “Are We There Yet?” (As of March 2012)
Creative Team
David Zinn
Scenic Designer & Costume DesignerMark Barton
Lighting DesignerAlaina Taylor
Production Stage ManagerPlaywrights Horizons: Hir, The Flick (Drama Desk nomination, also Barrow Street and National Theater, UK), Circle Mirror Transformation, Kin, The Big Meal, Completeness, Placebo. Broadway: A Doll’s House Part 2 (costumes, Tony nom.), Amelie; Present Laughter; The Humans (Tony Award); Fun Home (Tony nomination); The Last Ship, In the Next Room (Tony nomination), Xanadu. Off-Broadway: Hamlet, How to Transcend a Happy Marriage, 10 out of 12.
Broadway: The Real Thing, Violet, The Realistic Joneses. Off-Broadway: Signature, Playwrights Horizons, Public, Roundabout, Elevator Repair Service, NYTW, TFANA, many others. Other NYC: Encores! Off-Center (NYCC), BAM, Juilliard Opera. Regional: A.R.T., Guthrie, Center Theater Group, La Jolla Playhouse, Yale Rep, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Long Wharf, Huntington, Berkeley Rep, many others. Obie Award for Sustained Excellence.
Photos of (1) David Wilson Barnes, Cameron Scoggins, Phoebe Strole, Jennifer Mudge, and Anita Gillette; (2) David Wilson Barnes and Jennifer Mudge; (3) Rachel Resheff and Griffin Birney; and (4) Cameron Scoggins, Tom Bloom, and Phoebe Strole by Joan Marcus.
A life-in-overdrive comic drama. Dan LeFranc’s snappy dialogue captures the tumultuous tenor of family gatherings. THE CAST IS SUPERB.
INTIMATE AND EXHILARATING. The expert ensemble make their merry-go-round of characters feel both universal and tenderly specific.
Packed with humanity and humor, The Big Meal dishes up laughs and tears. Sam Gold is in his element.
AMBITIOUS AND IMPRESSIVE. You will be amazed.