FDR’S VERY HAPPY HOUR To Launch National Tour Following World Premiere At Actors Theatre Of Louisville

HIGH HARD HEAT has announced a national tour of FDR’s Very Happy Hour. The immersive new play is conceived by Regan Linton and M. Graham Smith, written and performed by Linton, and directed by Smith. The tour will follow its world premiere at Actors Theatre of Louisville (Artistic Director Amelia Acosta Powell, Managing Director Emily Tarquin) from October 15–26, 2025.

Inspired by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s daily cocktail hours at the White House, the production reimagines those gatherings for a modern age. Blending humor, history, and civic engagement, FDR’s Very Happy Hour asks how Roosevelt’s triumphs and contradictions might illuminate our current political and communal health. As FDR invites the audience to reflect on leadership, legacy, and connection, strangers become participants in an interactive exploration of democracy and empathy.

At each performance, FDR will spotlight a local “change maker”—a social worker, educator, journalist, nonprofit leader, activist, or volunteer—honoring unsung heroes making an impact in their communities.

“It’s been an honor to develop the radically accessible world premiere of FDR’s Very Happy Hour,” said Amelia Acosta Powell, Artistic Director of Actors Theatre of Louisville. “This story is both an urgent intervention on behalf of our democracy and an uplifting experience that inspires human connection. I’m thrilled it will reach audiences beyond our region.”

Accessibility is at the heart of this project, with Open Captioning, ASL Interpretation, Audio Description, and fully wheelchair-accessible design incorporated into each venue.

The creative team includes Efren Delgado (Scenic Design), James Ard (Sound Design), Anna Jenny (Costume Design), and Dani Clifford (Lighting Design).

FDR’s Very Happy Hour was originally commissioned by PAC NYC and has been developed at Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Arena Stage, The Kennedy Center, American Conservatory Theater, Washington Center for Performing Arts, and Actors Theatre of Louisville.

Performances will take place at Actors Theatre of Louisville on:
October 15–26, 2025. Tickets ($30) are available at actorstheatre.org/events/fdrs-very-happy-hour. Runtime is approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Regan Linton (Writer/Performer/Co-Creator) is a multi-genre artist, director, and accessibility advocate known for her leadership with Denver’s Phamaly Theatre Company and her co-direction of the award-winning documentary imperfect. Her work spans major regional theatres including Arena Stage, The Kennedy Center, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

M. Graham Smith (Director/Co-Creator) is a San Francisco–based director, educator, and producer whose credits include Home Invasion by Christopher Chen, Deal with the Dragon, and Father/Daughter at Aurora Theatre. He teaches at A.C.T. and Berkeley Rep.