Detroit
November 13 - November 23, 2025
Wildcard Wednesday (VU Community Only): November 12
Opening Night: November 13 | Speaker's Series: November 16 | Drinks with the Dramaturg: November 21
RUN TIME: 1 1/2 hours, no intermission
All Performances at 8pm except Sunday 2pm
Written by Lisa D'Amour
Directed by Edward Sobel
In a seemingly ordinary suburb, Ben and Mary welcome their new neighbors Sharon and Kenny for a friendly backyard barbecue. But as the charcoal heats up, so do tensions when they discover their new acquaintances met in rehab, are unemployed, and own nothing. What begins as neighborly hospitality quickly ignites into a dangerous exploration of middle-class anxiety and unfulfilled American dreams.
"A sharp X-ray of the embattled American psyche" (The New York Times) and "tense, terrific, funny" (New York Observer), this Pulitzer Prize finalist "perfectly captures a certain pervasive lifestyle of today" with "cascading, hilarious monologues" (Time Out New York). Lisa D'Amour's bittersweet and explosive dark comedy rips up the floorboards of suburban life to reveal what's simmering beneath the surface.
Fire up the grill... and expect fireworks.
Content Guide
If you want to learn more about the content of this show, please click below for specific content alerts. If you have further questions, contact the box office.
Content warnings "are verbal or written notices that precede potentially sensitive content." Content warnings differ from spoilers because they don’t explain plot or context. Similarly to a rating on a movie or TV show, content warnings give the audience a heads up about potentially triggering topics in the performance. We hope that providing the following content warnings will equip our audiences with the tools they need to engage with the performance in a meaningful and fulfilling way.
Like all good art, theatre asks audiences to engage with universal questions on a personal, sometimes challenging level. At the same time, please do note that there is a difference between trauma and discomfort. Without the latter, we can narrow and limit our experiences in ways detrimental to ourselves as individuals and as members of this community. Please use your best judgment and exercise self-care as needed.
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