Have you ever wanted to see your favorite movie come to life? Thanks to The Center at West Park, fans can see actors bring some iconic films to life on stage in a staged reading setting for one night only. Originally the project started with All the President’s Men last year, which included a cast of icons like Alec Baldwin, Andy Cohen, Maddie Corman, Robert Downey Jr., Corey Hawkins, Nathan Lane, Kenneth Lonergan, Julianne Moore, Gwyneth Paltrow, Wendell Pierce, Mark Ruffalo, J. Smith-Cameron, Jumaane D. Williams, and Ramy Youssef. Now, we’re heading into the friendship dynamics of The Big Chill.
Directed by David Saint, the staged reading is set to bring the Lawrence Kasdan and Barbara Benedek film to life. Winner of 3 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, The Big Chill is one of those 80s movies that changed the game for films, especially in how we look at how a soundtrack can be included in a film.
The staged reading cast, much like All The President’s Men before it, is filled with names you know and love. Led by Spider-Man: No Way Home star Marisa Tomei, she’s joined by Matthew Broderick, Amy Brenneman, Spencer Garrett, Frederick Weller, Ilana Levine, and Jumaane D. Williams. There are still cast to be announced.
“It’s a tremendous privilege for The Center at West Park to serve audiences across New York and to continue our summer performance tradition in East Hampton at Guild Hall,” said Debby Hirshman, Executive Director of The Center at West Park. “After the incredible response to last summer’s staged reading of All the President’s Men, we’re thrilled to return with The Big Chill—a timeless film whose humor, heart, and unforgettable characters continue to resonate. We’re especially excited to welcome an extraordinary cast, including Marisa Tomei, Matthew Broderick, Amy Brenneman, Spencer Garrett, Frederick Weller, Ilana Levine, and Jumaane D. Williams. We look forward to sharing another unforgettable evening of storytelling with audiences at Guild Hall.”
There is a pretty hefty price tag for the event though. The tickets range from $1,000 to $10,000 and are available now at centeratwestpark.org/big-chill.
The legacy of The Big Chill
I am someone who grew up in a household that loved The Big Chill. My father used to watch it all the time and the knowledge that Kevin Costner played Alex, a dead body of the group’s best friend, was something that I’ve just…always known. So to have a staged reading of a movie that feels like part of me at this point is exciting. Especially given the fact that this movie about the unconditional love of friends is so important to cinema as a whole.
There are still a lot of characters to flesh out in the staged reading and maybe we’ll have another iconic tidbit of information about Alex in this production. But if you can afford a ticket, it is a great way to support the arts. And who doesn’t want to see Tomei doing some incredible acting?
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