THE THANKSGIVING PLAY Comes to Ensemble Theatre Company in October

Just in time for the holiday, Ensemble Theatre Company (ETC) presents the first show of its 2023-2024 season, the recent Broadway hit THE THANKSGIVING PLAY, written by Larissa FastHorse and directed by Brian McDonald. THE THANKSGIVING PLAY begins previews on Thursday, October 5 at 7:30pm, opens on Saturday, October 7 at 8:00pm and runs through Sunday, October 22, 2022 at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria Street in Santa Barbara. 

"Theatres, like ETC, have a responsibility to help bring new perspective and voices to the forefront, especially as we all navigate today’s evolving societal norms,” said Scott DeVine, ETC’s executive director.  “Bringing The Thanksgiving Play to the New Vic delivers on that responsibility by providing our audiences with the opportunity to experience the creative work of the only Native American Broadway playwright, Larissa FastHorse. Our hope is that this production will inspire conversations around our collective history as we all embark upon the holiday season.”

Good intentions collide with absurd assumptions in Larissa FastHorse’s wickedly funny satire, as a troupe of terminally “woke” teaching artists scrambles to create a pageant that somehow manages to celebrate both Turkey Day and Native American Heritage Month.

“We are so fortunate to be able to bring The Thanksgiving Play to Santa Barbara with a fantastic cast,” said McDonald. “Audiences can expect a hilarious journey that dissects the absurdity of political correctness and challenges the way we celebrate Thanksgiving. I cannot wait to serve this delicious theatrical Thanksgiving platter that will leave patrons thankful for the power of humor and the unifying nature of theater.”

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST

Larissa FastHorse (Playwright) (Sicangu Lakota Nation) is an award-winning writer and 2020-2025 MacArthur Fellow. Her satirical comedy The Thanksgiving Play made her the first known female Native American playwright on Broadway, at the Helen Hayes under the direction of Rachel Chavkin. Her new plays in 2023 are Wicoun(Cornerstone Theater Company), Democracy Project (Federal Hall), Fake It Until You Make It (CTG Mark Taper Forum), For the People (Guthrie), and the national tour of Peter Pan (Networks). Selected past plays include What Would Crazy Horse Do? (KCRep), Landless and Cow Pie Bingo (AlterTheater), Average Family (Children’s Theater Company of Minneapolis) and Teaching Disco Squaredancing to Our Elders: a Class Presentation (Native Voices at the Autry), as well as numerous productions of The Thanksgiving Play, making it one of the most produced plays in America. Larissa created the nationally recognized trilogy of community engaged theatrical experiences with Cornerstone Theater Company; Urban Rez, Native Nation and Wicoun. She and her collaborator, Michael John Garcés, spend years on each project in an Indigenized community engagement process. “The engagement itself is the art form.” These projects have earned them national funding and an appointment to Arizona State University. Larissa’s company with Ty Defoe, Indigenous Direction, recently produced the first land acknowledgement on national television for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC and continues to consult for them. They also consult for the largest theater organizations in the country. Larissa also writes in film and television, most recently as a creator for NBC, Disney Channel, Dreamworks, Muse, Netflix and others. She is based in Los Angeles with her husband, the sculptor Edd Hogan.                     

Brian McDonald (Director) is an award-winning actor, director, and educator. He appeared in the national tours of Miss Saigon and Forever Plaid. Regionally, he appeared on the stages of Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Theatre Virginia, The Lyric Stage, La Miranda Performing Arts Center, Ensemble Theatre Company, Pasadena Playhouse, Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center, Rubicon Theatre Company and the Ahmanson.  Brian has been honored with many awards, including the Ventura Mayors’ Award for Emerging Artist, LA Weekly’s Best Supporting Actor Award and an Independent Award for his most recent performance in the one-man-show, Buyer and Cellar. Most recently, he directed It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play at ETC. Other directing credits include the critically acclaimed world premiere of A Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Other Desert Cities, A Tuna Christmas, The Sunset Limited (with Joe Spano and Tucker Smallwood), Bus Stop (5 Ovation nominations including Best Play), MASTER HAROLD… and the boys (nominated for 3 Ovation awards Including Best Play) and the World Premiere musical, Hello! My Baby, written and conceived by Cheri Steinkellner. He also conceived and directed the critically acclaimed holiday musical revue, A Rubicon Family Christmas. His work as a director has earned him an Independent Award and StageScene LA Award for Best Director. He is a graduate of Boston Conservatory and a member of Actors Equity Association, The Screen Actors Guild and The Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers. 

The cast of THE THANKSGIVING PLAY features Meghan Andrews as “Logan,” Adam Hagenbuch as “Jaxton,” Ashley Platz as “Alicia,” and Will Block as “Caden.”

Scenic and lighting design by Mike Billings.  Sound design is by Randall Robert Tico. Costume design is by Abra Flores. Properties design is by Jenna Scordino. Casting is by Michael Donovan Casting. Ward LeHardy is the Dramaturg.

THE THANKSGIVING PLAY is produced Kathy Weber. Associate Producers are Scott and Edie DeVine, in honor of Bill Kennedy. Supporting Producers are Doug and Nancy Norberg.

  

ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

THE THANKSGIVING PLAY previews on Thursday, October 5 at 7:30pm & Friday, October 6 at 8:00pm; opens on Saturday, October 7 at 8:00pm and runs through Sunday, October 22, 2022 at 2:00pm at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria Street in Santa Barbara. 

Performances are Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, and Sundays at 2:00pm and 7:00pm; with added performances on Tuesday, October 10 at 7:30om, Saturday, October 14 at 3pm, and Wednesday, October 18 at 2pm. There will be no performance on Sunday, October 22 at 7pm.                                                                                           

 

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