Keen Company's site-specific Off-Broadway revival of Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking opens November 2. Performances for the production, starring Kathleen Chalfant, began October 19 and will continue through November 20.
Adapted from Didion's memoir, the story recounts the author's journey of loss and grief and the resilience of the human heart. Artistic Director Jonathan Silverstein directs the production, which is staged entirely in non-traditional theatre spaces such as living rooms, libraries, and other community spaces across New York City.
"I am very excited about sharing Joan Didion’s story across New York City," says Chalfant in a statement. "I’ve been wanting to speak these words ever since I first heard she was adapting her memoir for the stage. I’ve always felt a deep connection to Didion’s work, especially the rhythm of it, maybe because we’re both native Californians and there’s a particular California way of thinking, a particular California rhythm that she captures. I’m also very eager to share this work in the intimate settings we are envisioning for it. Though the story is very specific to Ms. Didion’s life and world, what it talks about is, as she says, something that 'will happen to you.'"
"I am honored to be reuniting with Kathleen Chalfant, who was last seen on the Keen stage in A Walk in the Woods giving an enthralling Drama Desk-nominated performance," adds Silverstein. "Kathy and I have been dreaming of working on Joan Didion’s masterful play, The Year of Magical Thinking, for quite some time. I am thrilled to be exploring this story of surviving unimaginable events, presenting it intimately and non-traditionally in living rooms and community spaces throughout New York. I hope the audience’s close proximity to this powerful story, told by one of our most brilliant actresses, will be a one of a kind, unforgettable, and resonating theatrical experience."
The production features costume design by Jennifer Paar and lighting design by Anshuman Bhatia, with the creative team also including line producer Corinne Woods and stage manager Arthur Atkinson.
For location details and tickets, visit KeenCompany.org.
