“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. “#1 Play of 2011.” –Time Out Chicago.
This is the description I read before encountering THE BIG MEAL, a new show at Playwrights Horizons by Dan LeFranc and directed by one of the hottest directors in theater right now, Sam Gold. When I read that crypt, I wondered how a play could span 80 years in the life of two people. Well, you may just have to see this show yourself to find out how. I don’t want to have too many spoilers in this piece.
But I will tell you that in just 80 minutes, LeFranc’s play reveals so many truths about every stage of life. It tells us that life isn’t easy and as mad as our family makes us, they don’t go away.
The other amazing thing about this play is that it takes place in one room, around one table. A young couple meets there and then we see their life evolve through marriage, divorce, children, grandchildren and great-children. As they age, different actors take over their roles, and they take over other roles.
Don’t get me wrong, we don’t see all the dysfunction and turmoil on stage, but we see some of it. We see enough of it to know who’s not getting along and who has to make amends. We also see how an argument can impact the whole family and how important it is to make up before things explode. One character asks, “Where did the time go?” and when you leave this play, it will make you want to call your parents or anyone and everyone you haven’t spoken to in a while.
The show features Featuring David Wilson Barnes, Griffin Birney, Tom Bloom, Anita Gillette, Jennifer Mudge, Rachel Resheff, Cameron Scoggins, Phoebe Strole and Molly Ward and they are the perfect ensemble. It’s playing through April 22nd at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater and you can get tickets here.
So, while my husband I were chilling out at Playwright Horizons, in the first row, we had an unusual experience in its own rite. Our kids happened to be
upstairs rather than at home. We put them in a child enrichment program called PLAYTIME that takes place at Playwrights Horizon. It’s convenient and very affordable, only $15 per child for the entire running time of any show at PH or the Signature Theater. Childcare is provided by Sitters Studio, a bonded agency.
The sitters are all working actors, so it’s not your typical childcare. It’s very arts-driven and while I was getting a dose of the arts, so were my kids. They made artistic masterpieces, learned songs, danced and had fun with other kids their age. It happened to be “Pirate Night” so everything was focused on pirates, which my seven year-old son really cared for. They were given a snack during the two hours they were being cared for and at the end of the night, I was given a hand-written report card for both of my child, reporting what they did and how they behaved, as well as what they both ate. My kids absolutely loved the experience, and my son talked about this group sitter for days afterwards. My daughter, nearly 9, also enjoyed the experience. She didn’t complain about being with younger kids or doing anything beneath her age. I think that she bonded with another older girl and together, they embraced the experience. She’s also quite artistic, so I am sure she enjoyed that aspect that oozes through its core.
I can’t tell you what a lifesaver it is not to have worry about booking a sitter, or paying a ton of money so that my husband and I can enjoy a night out. It’s a relief and the fact that they both enjoyed it means we can do it again.
Disclosure: Theater tickets and child care option were provided courtesy of PLAYTIME for the purpose of this review. The views and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. I am a co-founder of MamaDrama which also coordinated my tickets.
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