This fall, DeSales University is proud to present an exciting, lively, and beautiful season as the theatrical world begins to open its doors. A shining jewel in this season is the Act 1 premiere of Lynn Nottage’s, Crumbs From the Table of Joy being presented in the Schubert Theatre. It is being directed by Paris Crayton III, playwright of last year’s production of Chainz/Broken. Dramatists Play Service describes the play as Crumbs… is a story weaving together “a tapestry of resilience, dreams, and eventual heartbreak.” Crayton expressed his excitement with the production, “I am thrilled to direct a show from the two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, Lynn Nottage. It’s a show about fulfilling one’s purpose, no matter what life throws your way.”
In Nottage’s master work, widower Godfrey Crump and his two daughters, Ermina and Ernestine, experience the struggles in 1950’s Brooklyn. While Godfrey works to grow in faith through listening to a radio preacher called “Father Divine”, his daughters face challenges of their own. From their Aunt Lily coming to visit, to their father marrying a German immigrant, the young girls are forced to confront the reality of American life versus their own dreams and hopes for a future. Crayton pulls all the elements of this story into focus, “It’s about how one family deals with grief and learnings to navigate in a world full of racism and injustice.”
Act 1 is thrilled to welcome Paris Crayton III as an in-person director for our students into the fold this year. Paris returns the excitement with, “… it is an honor to get to direct at DeSales on such beautiful work.” Paris is an award-winning playwright, actor, and director. He has written over 40 plays, 21 of which have been produced around the country. Critics have called him “a powerful dramatist” and praised him as “One of the most important playwrights of our time.” His plays have been presented and/or workshopped by The Lark, NewYorkRep, KU Theatre, Classical Theatre of Harlem, Aurora Theatre, and more. His directing credits include; Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Pure Artistry); The Old Settler (New African Grove); Mama Bear (Out of Box Theatre); Brothers of Affliction (Rising Sage Theatre); The Aftermath (Drew University); Chasing Gods (Davidson College); and many others.
Lynn Nottage is the first, and only, woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice. Her plays have been produced worldwide. Some of her works include Mlima’s Tale, By The Way, Meet Vera Stark, Ruined, Intimate Apparel, Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine, Las Meninas; Mud, River, Stone; Por’knockers; and POOF! Her play Sweat sold-out its run at The Public Theater and was moved to Broadway. ‘Nottage is also the recipient of a MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellowship, Steinberg “Mimi” Distinguished Playwright Award, and many more. Her other honors include the National Black Theatre Fest’s August Wilson Playwriting Award, a Guggenheim Grant, Lucille Lortel Fellowship and Visiting Research Fellowship at Princeton University. She is a graduate of Brown University and the Yale School of Drama. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Theatre Department at Columbia School of the Arts.’
Crumbs From the Table of Joy opens on Thursday, October 14 and performs through Sunday, October 24, 2021. Performances are Wednesdays through Fridays at 8:00 PM, and new this season, Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 PM. There is a Talk-Back with the cast on Sunday, October 17 immediately following the matinee performance. Ticket prices are $23 for Adults and $21 for Students and Seniors on Monday-Thursday and $25 for Adults and $23 for Students and Seniors on Friday- Sunday. Group discounts are available for all performances. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Labuda Center box office at 610-282-3192 or by visiting the website at tickets.desales.edu.
To improve accessibility for all patrons, the October 23 2:00 PM performance will feature Audio Description for patrons who are blind or visually impaired. During Audio Described performances, all action and physical appearances are described live through a headset. Tickets are half price for patrons using these special services on this date. Please call box office manager Kyle Schumaker at 610-282-3654, ext. 1 for more information.
The Labuda Center is fully accessible and equipped with a listening enhancement system. Special seating is available for our patrons using wheelchairs or requiring other assistance. Please inform the box office of your needs when ordering tickets.
For tickets or more information, call the Act 1 Box Office at 610-282-3192, or visit tickets.desales.edu
