8 / 10
Nathan Alan Davis’s The Refuge Plays turns the American family play on its head. The three-part epic has familiar markers of the category, like parent-child sparring matches and dredged-up family secrets, but there are also mystical elements on stage. The Roundabout Theatre Company world premiere, produced in association with the New York Theatre Workshop, features ancestral spirits and sublime performances.
6 / 10
In The Refuge Plays, Nathan Alan Davis has put together a three-part drama full of engaging small gestures that fail to add up. The drama is Davis’s follow-up after arriving in New York in 2016 with Nat Turner in Jerusalem, and it’s admirably ambitious; this production directed by Patricia McGregor runs three hours and 29 minutes. That’s not nearly as long as some epics, but certainly longer than your average nonprofit subscription theater program (The Refuge Plays is a co-production from New York Theatre Workshop and the Roundabout), especially at a time when most are cutting back. It’s got an intriguing hook: The trilogy begins more or less in the present with a Black family in a house hidden in the woods of Southern Illinois and then steps back one generation with each installment. But as it telescopes into the past, the series falls short of coherence, wandering away from itself and losing the audience.
Get a sneak peek of THE REFUGE PLAYS at Roundabout Theatre Company in this exclusive video. Discover the latest production from Roundabout Theatre Company and get a glimpse of the play before it hits the stage. Don't miss your chance to experience THE REFUGE PLAYS - book your tickets now!
Roundabout Theatre Company just celebrated opening night for the world-premiere production of The Refuge Plays, by Nathan Alan Davis. Check out what the critics had to say!
In this video watch as we take you inside opening night of Roundabout Theatre Company's world-premiere production of The Refuge Plays, by Nathan Alan Davis, directed by Patricia McGregor.
Roundabout Theatre Company is presenting the world-premiere production of The Refuge Plays, by Nathan Alan Davis, directed by Patricia McGregor, in association with New York Theatre Workshop. Check out photos of the stars arriving on the opening night red carpet here!
Roundabout Theatre Company is presenting the world-premiere production of The Refuge Plays, by Nathan Alan Davis, directed by Patricia McGregor, in association with New York Theatre Workshop. The production officially opened last night, October 4. Check out photos of the cast on the red carpet here!
Take a first look at THE REFUGE PLAYS at Roundabout Theatre Company. This highly anticipated production features an incredible cast including Jessica Frances Dukes, Ngozi Anyanwu, Jon Michael Hill, Nicole Ari Parker, and more. Get an inside glimpse of the show before it opens and get ready to be captivated by this exciting new production.
Roundabout Theatre Company is presenting the world-premiere production of The Refuge Plays by Nathan Alan Davis, directed by Patricia McGregor, in association with New York Theatre Workshop. See rehearsal photos!
Roundabout Theatre Company will soon present the world premiere of The Refuge Plays by Nathan Alan Davis, directed by Patricia McGregor, in association with New York Theatre Workshop. In this video, the cast explains more about what the play is all about!
Roundabout Theatre Company will soon present the world premiere of The Refuge Plays by Nathan Alan Davis, directed by Patricia McGregor, in association with New York Theatre Workshop.
Discover the complete cast for THE REFUGE PLAYS, the highly anticipated production at Roundabout Theatre Company. Get ready for an unforgettable experience as the talented actors bring this captivating play to life. Make sure to secure your tickets now.
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance | Nicole Ari Parker |
| 2024 | The Lortels | Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play | Nicole Ari Parker |
