Generic Theater Presents Regional Premiere Of THE VIEWING ROOM

Generic Theater's 43rd season continues with The Viewing Room, a moving comedy written by Mark Edward Smith.

Trey DelPo directs this regional premiere that HRACT Awards calls "a rollicking good time." The Viewing Room sold out opening night and runs weekends through February 25th at Generic Theater, Norfolk's underground black box theater located in the basement of Chrysler Hall.

In The Viewing Room, saying good-bye to the dearly departed has never been so funny. The show centers around a stern patriarch who has recently passed away before he's had a chance to make amends with his very dysfunctional family. The play - while loaded with laughs - is timeless due to its themes of reconciliation, family, and paying tribute to the departed.

Director Trey DelPo appreciates the complexities found within family relationships. "Families are one of the few things that many of us can simultaneously love and loathe. The old adage 'you can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family,' rings true for many."

Generic Theater's production of The Viewing Room introduces the Dumbrosky family, with Bruce Hermans as the departed patriarch Chester, Missy Sullivan as his beloved wife Florence, and his adult children Aldrian Argante as Matthew, Kiyante Malik as Steven, Ash O'Leary as Patti, Jadyn Espy as Debby, and Dave Hobbs as Chet Jr. Funeral director Jay Hollerback, played by Victoria Blake, presides over the viewing room.

A glowing review from HRACT Awards praises the performances. "What this cast gets just right is how it feels to be in the presence of a dysfunctional family (with extra clever lines up everyone's sleeves). They shine in those moments where the main action is happening in one place on stage, but there is a side conversation happening elsewhere - a credit to the group's chemistry (and the family's lack thereof), as well as the direction provided by Trey Delpo."

Returning to Generic Theater after directing the 2022 production of The Effect, Trey DelPo hopes that the audience will relate to the Dumbroskys in laughter and tears. "The annoying pushing and prodding that families do to each other always comes from a place of love, even when it's hard to see it that way."

Tickets

The Viewing Room runs weekends from February 9th - 25th, 2024. Friday and Saturday evening performances are at 8:00pm and Sunday performances are at 2:30pm. Generic's black-box theater is located in the basement of Chrysler Hall in Norfolk, Virginia. Tickets are $18 in advance or $20 same day, with discounts for military, senior, and student patrons, and can be purchased online at https://www.generictheater.org

About Generic Theater

Generic Theater is Norfolk, Virginia's literal underground theater, located in the basement of Chrysler Hall. Since 1981, Generic Theater has been the area's "Off-Broadway" playhouse, producing plays and public programs that challenge and delight audiences, take risks, and are unlikely to be seen anywhere else. Generic Theater is committed to innovative productions of contemporary works, new plays, and reinterpretations of the classics. The company explores issues of importance to our diverse community via provocative works and collaborative partnerships. We provide experienced artists and technicians space to craft great theater while also seeking to nurture and develop new talent in Hampton Roads. Learn more at GenericTheater.org.

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