The Dining Room is a tapestry of moments, a collection of seconds that make life what it is —small, intimate vignettes that together paint a portrait of WASPs (white Anglo-Saxon Protestants) from the 1920s through the 1980s. Each scene introduces us to a different family, a different generation, and a different turning point. But one constant remains: their gathering place. The dining room.
For a culture slowly fading, this room was once the daily gathering place where families came together as one, no matter what else was happening outside. We as society have moved away from the dining room as our center point. How has that evolved for your own family?
I read a review that states “Gurney invites us not to judge these families, but to observe them,” and I think that sums it up perfectly.
This production demands a great deal from everyone involved. With so many moving parts, The Dining Room relies on its cast for authentic story telling and character work. Our cast embraced this, and I’m proud of every single one of them with their determination in this unique learning opportunity and the challenges it presented. A big thank you to our crew of parents and Culture House as well!
I hope you enjoy stepping into the dining room with us and perhaps reflect on the places where your own stories come together.
Erika
Director, The Dining Room
