Season 2, Episode 5: Behind every summer is a community that keeps Fire Island alive. This episode explores the history of the beloved Pines Pantry through the eyes of its iconic Pantry Girls, alongside the volunteer firefighters of The Pines and Cherry Grove who protect the island from fires, hurricanes, beach erosion, and an uncertain future.
CULT OF LOVE to Open at Trustus Theatre
Kelsey Mesa directs her debut at the South Carolina theatre, featuring a cast of ten actors in Headland's sharp examination of family dynamics.
By: A.A. Cristi
Trustus Theatre will present Cult of Love, Leslye Headland's sharp, deeply observant family dramedy, as the second production of its 42nd Season: Unmasked. Directed by Executive Artistic Director Kelsey Mesa, the show runs November 20 through December 13, 2026, on the Thigpen Mainstage.
Four adult siblings return home for Christmas, and old conflicts and new revelations come with them. Headland, known for her incisive, unflinching take on contemporary relationships, mixes biting humor with real emotional stakes in a portrait of a family trying to reconcile its past with its present.
Cult of Love is Mesa's directorial debut at Trustus. She became Executive Artistic Director in late April.
'Cult of Love is a laugh-until-you-cry kind of experience. It's bitingly funny and fast-paced, leaning full-tilt into the idiosyncrasies of family Christmas, until the coziness comes crashing down,' Mesa says. 'It's definitely a character-driven play, and luckily, we have a stupendous cast of actors to carry us through. Many of us love Christmas and cherish our holiday traditions, but in the end we have to ask ourselves, what does it really look like to love and care for our family members?' The cast features Hunter Boyle, Erin Wilson, Adam Hobbs, Lauren Larson, Ashley Rose Montondo, Courtney Sims, Peter Bowden, Olivia Wamai, Isabella Stenz, and Cameron Muccio.
The creative team includes music director Levi Burke, stage manager Colleen Kelly, assistant director Kenna Nelson, assistant stage manager Noah Poole, and designers Corey Langley (scenic), Julia Vaughn (lighting), Rachel Turner (costume), Jacob Olano (sound), and Hannah Williamson (props).
Tickets are available at trustus.org or by calling the box office at 803-254-9732. Discounted rates are available for students, seniors, and groups.
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