5 / 10
At some moment in this last segment, Emma declares she’s waiting for something to happen (thereby speaking for the audience, too). Playwright Shepard—who’s already called for a live sheep (the attentive Lois) as well as nudity—provides such an outburst (special thanks to sound designer Leah Gelpe, lighting designer Jeff Croiter), but it feels too busily contrived, as does a stretched-out closing parable.
6 / 10
In this production, Jeff Croiter’s lighting focuses a spotlight on each actor as they get their big moment. Elliot may have been aiming for a feeling of immediacy with that choice, but double-underlining those speeches makes them each feel like more of an exercise. This may be a recurring problem with revivals of Shepard, as my colleague Sara Holdren noted with the last Curse go-round. Actors might love the cachet of trying to bull-ride a canonical work, but they’re not prepared for just how difficult a play like this is.
Reviews are in for Sam Shepard’s Curse of the Starving Class at The New Group, starring David Anzuelo, Kyle Beltran, Calista Flockhart, Cooper Hoffman, Jeb Kreager, Stella Marcus and Christian Slater, directed by Scott Elliott, running now through April 6.
The New Group will present an additional week for Sam Shepard’s Curse of the Starving Class with David Anzuelo, Kyle Beltran, Calista Flockhart, Cooper Hoffman, Jeb Kreager, Stella Marcus and Christian Slater. Learn how to purchase tickets.
On a recent visit to Late Night with Seth Meyers, Christian Slater opened up about one of his unusual co-stars in the upcoming off-Broadway production of Curse of the Starving Class. Watch the interview now!
The New Group will present Sam Shepard’s Curse of the Starving Class with David Anzuelo, Kyle Beltran, Calista Flockhart, Cooper Hoffman, Jeb Kreager, Stella Marcus and Christian Slater, directed by Scott Elliott. Check out photos from inside rehearsal.
The New Group has revealed the complete cast for Sam Shepard’s Curse of the Starving Class, starring Calista Flockhart, Christian Slater and more. See who is starring and learn how to purchase tickets.
| 1978 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
| 1985 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
| 1997 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
| 2019 | Off-Broadway |
Signature Theatre Off-Broadway Revival Off-Broadway |
