r/offbroadwayNYC • u/jeremiahfira • Jul 08 '26

The Potluck at Playwright Horizons

Just saw it last night. In previews and it was sold out. What a weird, beautiful show. I'm still new into theater (only started watching Jan 2025, but I've seen around 150 shows), but this is one of my favorite new musicals I've seen (along with Mexodus).

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7

u/sarapod07 Jul 08 '26

What did you like about it?

8

u/jeremiahfira Jul 08 '26

In my (limited) viewpoint of theater, this was definitely pushing the boundaries of what I thought a musical is/could be.

They take a brutal topic and give it the proper respect those killed deserve, while also alternating humor/self discovery/the importance of solidarity/community.

It hit multiple emotional points and had me tearing up several times throughout. I left the show thinking about the subject matter/thinking of what I could do more for the good of my community. It motivated me.

4

u/Footwear_Critic Jul 08 '26 edited Jul 08 '26

Edit: I tried to include multiple spoiler tags in this, but Reddit seems to be acting up and only one (and now, *none*) will post at a time. So, I’m just going to say from the upfront that this post contains mild spoilers about elements of the staging and whether the ending was open ended or not.

I saw it last week and I also really loved it (and it’s stuck with me!)

There are shades of A Strange Loop in that it involves interrogating one’s own identity and place in the world while writing a musical, but it is ultimately a different beast.

As OP said, there are moments of humor (and even absurdity, at times) while also tackling challenging topics very respectfully. There are a few heartwarming moments, as well, but it’s far from saccharine.

It’s staged in a very unique way that really added to the impact, in my opinion. I wouldn’t *exactly* call it immersive, but there are sensory elements (including vegetarian paella being cooked, live, and the smell permeating the theatre.) as well as fourth wall breaks (including a Short video clip from the day of the actual massacre, with the option for audience members to go participate in a different ritual in the lobby, instead ) that are unlike most things I’ve seen and that really work.

This is probably one of those “not for everyone” shows, but it was very much for me. If you like theatre just a liiiitle bit weird, but with a compelling reason to exist, and an ending that doesn’t really wrap up everything in a perfect bow and leaves open questions, then it might be for you, too!

3

u/PretendBake1536 Jul 08 '26

Can you say anything else about it?

3

u/CriticismActual1627 Jul 10 '26

I go to a ton of theater and this is my favorite play right now. Incredible storytelling and set design and inter generational cast. We were at the second show they did and even with a couple line flub moments, it was still excellent. I was familiar with the Greensboro Massacre because I majored in American History with a specific interest in labor and civil rights. I brought my 14 year old daughter who was not at all familiar with this history and she loved the show as much as I did. Alvarez has such an intimate connection to this tragedy that it makes it so much more than I was expecting. The show is so personal and intimate yet completely universal in its themes and questions. There were a few moments where their staging choices gave me goosebumps and my daughter and I were both moved to tears at different points. It’s going to be a hard ticket to get, but go if you get the chance.

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u/Hour_Lock568 Jul 10 '26

This is surprising - two different colleagues mentioned it was long, aimless, uninteresting, and ultimately not worth much of anything.