Across a void of thousands of miles and oceans of hurt, two half-brothers tentatively reconnect over the care of their ailing mother. Grangeville is a new play about the fallibility of memory, the stories we tell to make sense of our suffering, and the complexity of forgiveness.
Slowly we learn what the issues are in “Grangeville,” the latest play by Samuel D. Hunter that is, much like his others, quiet, insightful, ultimately moving. If your relationship with a sibling is complicated – and whose isn’t? – it hits home. At the same time, though, the production, which opens tonight at Signature Theater, might require a little more work on the part of the audience, thanks to a few challenging choices by both Hunter and director Jack Serio.
While the design team does much dramaturgical lifting, the acting is equally superb. Just when you think you’ve seen every vocal twang or behavioral quirk from the longtime secret weapon Paul Sparks, he whips up another virtuosic portrait of a damaged, complicated weirdo (they tend to be more country than urban).
| 2025 | Off-Broadway |
Signature Theatre Off-Broadway Premiere Production Off-Broadway |
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Direction of a Play | Jack Serio |
| 2025 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lead Performance in a Playe | Paul Sparks |
| 2025 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Play | Samuel D. Hunter |
| 2025 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Play | Paul Sparks |
| 2025 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play | Grangeville |
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