Tony Winning Thanksgiving Drama Makes It To San Jose in Time for Turkey Day
The Tony Award winning Best Play of 2016 has made it the San Jose’s The Stage – and just in time for Thanksgiving.
“The Humans,” an intimate portrait of the Blake family, who gather together on turkey day at their daughter’s New York Chinatown apartment.
This seems to be a play that perfectly replicates many of our lives during a family gathering. Nagging parents pushing marriage and religion and grandma who is beloved from days gone by but is relegated to being nothing more than a piece of furniture that needs to move around the room.
The Broadway version, which also won two Tony awards for acting, is well matched acting-wise with our San Jose cast.
Madeline Rouverol, Lyndsy Kail and George Psarras do a fine job as the younger generation and Jessica Powell makes a perfect grandma. But it’s the powerhouse performances of Tim Kniffin and Maria Schell that really make the production.
They are the heart of the show, and the writing of Stephen Karam, give them plenty of time to shine.
The show actually does a great job utilizing the theatre’s unique stage, thanks mostly to director Tony Kelly. Further, all of the sets and settings seem real and that is a credit to the talent and vision of scenic designer Guilio Perrone.
Like any Thanksgiving, secrets come out and arguments ensue. “The Humans” – from the sets to the food on stage – this seems to be a real slice of Americana and we are invited to the table to dine.
But considering a plot development that I can’t share, you should skip the invitation to dinner but definitely check out the play.
It runs through Dec. 15. Get tickets and more information at www.thestage.org.
Photos by Dave Lepori
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