'The Big Meal:' Independent Players presents an 'extraordinary story of an ordinary family'

Somewhere in America, in a typical suburban restaurant, on a typical night, Sam and Nicole first meet - and sparks fly.

So begins a tale that traverses five generations of a modern family, from first kiss to last goodbye. "The Big Meal" by Dan LeFranc tells the extraordinary story of an ordinary family. This statement succinctly captures the essence of the Independent Players' third production of 2018-2019.

Opening on Friday, May 3, "The Big Meal" is directed by Larry Boller and stars Katrina Syrris, Richard Isemonger, Lori Rohr, Sean Hargadon, Janette Jacobs, Tom Ochocinski. Maddie Hargadon and Alden Mark. It will run Fridays and Saturdays, May 3-4, 10-11, and 17-18, at the Elgin Art Showcase, 164 Division St., eighth floor, Elgin. The doors open at 7 p.m., and curtain time is 7:30 p.m.

Another local production of "The Big Meal" sparked Boller's interest in directing this play.

"I saw a production of this play at Steel Beam Theatre in St. Charles and wanted to further explore its staging, move the actors around a bit," Boller said.

"The Big Meal" received its world premiere at the American Theatre Company in Chicago where it was declared the number one play of 2011 by Time Out Chicago and received five Joseph Jefferson nominations.

When it played in New York off-Broadway, it received a Drama Desk nomination and four Lucille Lortel nominations including for "Outstanding Play." It is, in the words of one critic, "A stunning, big-hearted play that spans nearly 80 years in roughly 90 minutes." It does this by using minimal sets and props and telling a simple story through everyday conversations and interactions,

In many families, shared meals in their kitchens or dining rooms are at the center of their existence. In recent years, however, more and more people opt to celebrate major holidays and special family events in restaurants.

"I think audiences will laugh at the family gatherings, possibly recognizing their own families," Boller said.

Much of what makes The Big Meal so interesting is watching the actors evolve into all the characters within their age group before our very eyes. For example, Sam and Nicole's daughter Mattie, introduces them to three different boyfriends in quick succession who are all played by the same actor.

This is achieved by a cast of four couples, each representing a significant stage in human life - from youngsters to senior citizens.

Some people might think that navigating through 80 years of high and low points in the lives of one family in just 85 minutes may sound like an attempt to dumb down an epic saga for viewers with short attention spans.

Not so! By the time one has witnessed this dramatic variation of thumbing through a family album, one will see that LeFranc's methodology is deceptively obvious and familiar.

There's nothing trivial about a play that heightens one's awareness that life does indeed fly by and that will have one reflecting about the state of the American family and how many lives people choosing to become a couple affect.

Some critics have noted that, in many ways, The Big Meal could be called a streamlined postmodern "Our Town" saga, with Nicole and Sam's story no longer played out in the kitchens and streets of Grovers Corners, but confined to a table in a generic restaurant. Like Thornton Wilder's groundbreaking abandonment of kitchen sink realism, LeFranc's anywhere USA restaurant has few props.

For Thornton Wilder fans, "The Big Meal" might also have been inspired by his earlier one-act play, "The Long Christmas Dinner," which followed a family through numerous generations sharing their Christmas meal.

Audience members may remember seeing "Our Town" when IP presented it in the fall of 2017 and compare some of the similarities the two plays share. Perhaps it will make one see just how universal human behavior actually is.

Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune wrote: "In just 85 minutes of stage traffic, Dan LeFranc's arresting and moving new play 'The Big Meal' serves up more truths about parenting, bereavement, divorce, irritating in-laws, economic stress, marriage and the modern American family than most plays of twice that duration."

"Come out and explore the American family in all its facets - family is what molds us all, and this play embraces it all," Boller said.

Tickets, $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and $10 for students, are available at www.independent players.org; they are also available at the door before each performance (cash or check only). For reservations or information, call (847) 697-7374.

If you go

What: Independent Players' production of "The Big Meal"

When: Doors open at 7 p.m., curtain time is 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, May 3-4, 10-11, and 17-18

Where: Elgin Art Showcase, 164 Division St., eighth floor, Elgin

Tickets: $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and $10 for students; available at <a href="http://www.independent players.org">www.independent players.org</a>; also available at the door before each performance (cash or check only). For reservations or information, call (847) 697-7374 or email independentplayers322@gmail.com.