Kenneth Lonergan's comedy THIS IS OUR YOUTH is coming to Broadway for the first time, directed by Tony Award winner Anna D. Shapiro and starring Michael Cera, Kieran Culkin, and Tavi Gevinson. THIS IS OUR YOUTH follows three wayward young people as they navigate 1982 New York, recreating their broken homes in both their dysfunctional friendships and their bungled attempts at finding love. THIS IS OUR YOUTH is a living snapshot of the moment when young people first find themselves on the threshold of adulthood-far more sophisticated than their parents realize, and far less effectual than they themselves can possibly imagine.
THIS IS OUR YOUTH reminds us why The New York Times calls Kenneth Lonergan "arguably the most important American playwright of the last 20 years," and why Slate calls him "the most potent dramatic voice of his generation."
The production is the latest transfer by Chicago's Steppenwolf Theater, and as staged by Anna D. Shapiro, it's typical of that celebrated troupe in its physicality combined with thoughtfulness...The play, which launched the careers of both Lonergan and Mark Ruffalo (the original Warren), now feels like a period piece; a shell of amber surrounds it. This may have to do with fine performances that nonetheless fail to connect. Culkin exudes energy but not the menace that makes Warren interesting; Cera raises blankness of expression almost to the level of art and Gevinson is simply out of her league on the Broadway stage.
Culkin and Cera are the indispensable yin and yang of this funny, touching production...Lonergan's portrait of young adults fumbling for purpose has lost some of its edge -- or maybe it was never that edgy to begin with. Yet under the sharp direction of Anna D. Shapiro ('August: Osage County') the actors are so in sync with the material and with each other that they lift up the show. Cera, in particular, is terrific at making Warren...more than a nerdy loser. Instead, the character comes across as smart but insecure, well-meaning but lost...Gevinson has only limited acting experience, but she's blessed with genuine presence...That we end up caring so much for her -- and Warren, and Dennis -- is why this show works so well. We just want to know the kids are all right.
1996 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
1998 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
2014 | Broadway |
Broadway Premiere Production Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Play | Kenneth Lonergan |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Sonia Friedman |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Steppenwolf Theatre Company |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | John Johnson |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Sue Wagner |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Joey Parnes |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Fred Adler |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Catherine Adler |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Jhett Tolentino |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Joan Raffe |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Daryl Roth |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Heni Koenigsberg |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | The Araca Group |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Tulchin Bartner |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Stephanie P. McClelland |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Scott M. Delman |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Ruth Hendel |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | The Shubert Organization |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Roy Furman |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Jon B. Platt |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | William Berlind |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Roger Berlind |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Eli Bush |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Scott Rudin |
2015 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | This is Our Youth |
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