THE BIG CHILL Staged Benefit Reading Will Come to Guild Hall in August

The Center at West Park will return to East Hampton to present a one-night-only staged reading of the beloved 1983 classic THE BIG CHILL on Monday, August 31st at 7:00 p.m. at Guild Hall, located at 158 Main Street, East Hampton, NY 11937.  CWP is located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and serves all five boroughs of New York City, 

Directed by David Saint, the staged reading will feature an all-star cast to be announced in the coming weeks. The performance will be followed by a talkback featuring the cast, creative team, and special guests. 

Following the success of last year's CWP staged reading of All the President's Men at Guild Hall, which featured an extraordinary lineup of acclaimed actors and artists including Alec Baldwin, Andy Cohen, Maddie Corman, Robert Downey Jr., Corey Hawkins, Nathan Lane, Kenneth Lonergan, Julianne Moore, Gwyneth Paltrow, Wendell Pierce, Mark Ruffalo, J. Smith-Cameron, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams, and Ramy Youssef, The Center at West Park is proud to continue this annual summer tradition with another staged reading of an iconic American film.

Nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay (Lawrence Kasdan & Barbara Benedek), and Best Supporting Actress (Glenn Close), THE BIG CHILL was a defining film of the 1980s, being awarded the TIFF People's Choice Award.

In addition to Close, the film featured an all-star ensemble cast including Kevin Kline, William Hurt, JoBeth Williams, Tom Berenger, Mary Kay Place, Jeff Goldblum and Meg Tilly.  In 2025, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” 

“It’s a tremendous privilege for The Center at West Park to serve audiences across New York and continue our summer performance in East Hampton at Guild Hall,” said Debby Hirshman, Executive Director of The Center at West Park. “After the incredible response to last summer’s staged reading of All the President’s Men, featuring an extraordinary cast including Robert Downey Jr., Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams, Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein and Alec Baldwin, CWP is excited to return with the staged reading of The Big Chill—a timeless film whose humor, heart, and unforgettable characters continue to resonate across generations. Guild Hall’s enduring commitment to the arts and culture makes it the perfect partner for this special tradition, and forward we’re honored once again to bring artists and audiences together to celebrate the power of great storytelling, the importance of community, the arts and culture, affordability, inclusivity for artists and audiences alike and support for the next generation.”

This performance of THE BIG CHILL is produced by Julianne Hoffenberg alongside Hirshman, Executive Director of The Center at West Park, and Madelyn Paquette, Resident Producer at The Center at West Park.

Tickets for the one night-only performance range from $1,000 to $10,000 and can be purchased  online beginning on Tuesday, July 14th. Sponsorship opportunities are available as well. The performance supports CWP's ongoing affordable, accessible and intergenerational programs serving all five boroughs and audiences and artists alike.

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