The Long Christmas Dinner

"The Long Christmas Dinner" is a play in one act written by American novelist and playwright Thornton Wilder in 1931. In its first published form, it was included in the volume "The Long Christmas Dinner and Other Plays in One Act".

Characters

The characters, as they are listed in the script:

*Lucia
*Mother Bayard
*Roderick
*Cousin Brandon
*Charles, son of Roderick and Lucia
*Genevieve, daughter of Roderick and Lucia
*The Nurse
*Leonora, wife of Charles
*Ermengarde
*Sam, son of Charles and Leonora
*Lucia II, daughter of Charles and Leonora
*Roderick II, son of Charles and Leonora

Plot

Setting: 90 years in the dining room of the Bayard House.

Length: @30 minutes

A Short Christmas comedy about:

A play whose action [www.samuelfrench.com/store/product_info.php/products_id/5056] traverses ninety years and represents in accelerated motion ninety Christmas dinners in the Bayard home. The development of the countryside, the changes in customs and manners during this period of time as well as the growth of the Bayard family and their accumulation of property sums up vividly a wide aspect of American life. It is a serious play lightened with humor of character; it has a human, tender, moving quality both appealing and forceful.

Performance History

It was first performed jointly by the Yale Dramatic Association and The Vassar Philaletheis.

[ [http://www.fireflyonline.com/dinner.htm The Long Christmas Dinner ] ] On December 18, 1999 Firefly Entertainment and The Pleasant Valley Theater presented Thorton Wilder's masterpiece The Long Christmas Dinner. The story of a succession of Christmas dinners in the Wainwright household for over 90 years proved a challenge to the cast and crew. The fact that Wilder asks that there be no props and little scenery, and that there are no traditional transitions like scenes, made everyone work harder to tell a clear story to the audience. To help in making the transition of over 90 years seem clear, Ryan Dixon, the director, worked extensively with the cast on physical work. Ronn Hudzick and Patrick Lichentenfels' technical work helped to create a space that the actors were able to feel free in. This was also the first time a Pleasant Valley Theater production was done in the round, which helped the audience feel more intimate with the characters.

Currently, Samuel French, Inc., owns the rights to The Long Christmas Dinner.

References