The Thanksgiving Play

Description

Hampton Theatre Company Opens 2025–26 Season
with “The Thanksgiving Play” by Larissa FastHorse
 
The Hampton Theatre Company is proud to open its 2025–26 season with the sharp-witted and highly acclaimed comedy, “The Thanksgiving Play” by Larissa FastHorse, running from October 16 to November 2 at the Quogue Community Hall.
 
Directed by Mary Powers, the production marks the first installment of HTC’s new Celebrating Women in Theatre initiative—a three-season commitment to staging plays written and directed by women, supported by a generous grant from a private charitable foundation.
 
“The Thanksgiving Play” offers a hilarious and biting satire of modern-day political correctness, cultural appropriation, and historical amnesia. In the story, a group of well-intentioned educators attempts to devise an inclusive Thanksgiving school play—only to unravel spectacularly in their misguided efforts.
 
The production opens the season with not only laughs, but a pointed cultural commentary. The New York Times described it as “an uproarious comedy that also serves as a much-needed critique of American holiday traditions,” and Time Out New York lauded its mix of “humor and hard truths.”
 
Larissa FastHorse, a citizen of the Sicangu Lakota Nation, became the first female Indigenous playwright produced on Broadway with this play. Her work is known for blending humor with social critique, particularly regarding Indigenous representation in American culture.
 
The cast features three HTC veterans—Molly Brennan, Jason Moreland, and Lindsey Sanchez—and newcomer, Scott J. Butler.
 
Directed by Mary Powers, “The Thanksgiving Play” is produced by George Loizides. Set design is by Mary Powers, lighting design by Sebastian Paczynski, sound/video design by Meg Sexton, and costume design by Teresa LeBrun.
 
Performances of “The Thanksgiving Play” will run from October 16 through November 2 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7, and on Sundays at 2:30. An additional matinee performance will be offered on Saturday, November 1, at 2:30, prior to the regular 7 p.m. performance that evening.
 
Two post-show talkbacks—featuring the director, cast, and guest panelists—will take place following the October 24 and October 31 evening performances.
 
HTC’s new initiative, the Jane Stanton “Celebrating Women in Theatre” project, highlights underrepresented voices in a traditionally male-dominated field. While HTC has previously staged works by female playwrights such as Tina Howe, Theresa Rebeck and Yasmina Reza, the last three seasons did not feature any plays written by women—a trend echoed in 2024 across East End theaters, where only one out of 11 productions was by a woman.
 
Tickets are $40 for adults, $36 for seniors (65+), $25 for students (25 and under), and $30 for veterans and Native Americans. Tickets are available at hamptontheatre.org or by calling 631-653-8955.
Season subscriptions to all three principal productions—“The Thanksgiving Play,” “I Do! I Do!” and “The 39 Steps”—are just $110. Patrons who purchase subscriptions have the convenience of choosing performance dates and seats at a later time.
For more information about subscribing to a season filled with comedy, music, and heart, visit  www.hamptontheatre.org or call the HTC box office at 631-653-8955.