2024
The Folks at Home by R. Eric Thomas
ABOUT THE SHOW
Roger and Brandon are an interracial couple living in South Baltimore and doing the best they can. A late mortgage, months of unemployment, and a possible ghost in the attic are all complicated when all of their parents show up at the door and need to move in. The Folks at Home premiered at Baltimore Center Stage in 2022, and opens later this season at Indiana Repertory Theatre. The Alleyway is presented the second staging of this new play.
Alleyway Theatre | Buffalo, NY
"Everything is well crafted and top of the line here. Production values – lights, costumes, and sets have also been carefully thought out and executed. The fine cast members are P.K. Fortson, Roderick Garr, Ryan Adam Norton, Juliana Tracey, Josie DiVincenzo, and Shanntina Moore. The excellent direction is by Daniel F. Lendzian. Scenic design is by Tania Barrenechea, lighting design is by Emma Schimminger, and costume design is by James Cichocki. This is an exquisitely chiseled gem of a play with sensitive direction and with a uniformly strong ensemble cast. Congratulations all around and thank you to The Alleyway for discovering this engrossing new play and bringing it to Buffalo!”
— Gail Golden, Buffalo Rising
Director’s Note:
The “Sitcom” (a portmanteau of the words “situation comedy”) has been around for about as long as television has existed and has shaped what we consider entertainment, and how we define humor, resilience, struggle, and family.
There is something comforting about watching, or rewatching, a sitcom, as we see the same cast of characters confront difficult and hilarious circumstances, knowing that whatever issues arise, they are usually resolved within the half hour time frame of the show (commercial breaks included).
R. Eric Thomas’ The Folks at Home, is a beautiful play that is “a love letter to the great sitcoms of the 1970’s.” Recently, we have seen revivals of these Norman Lear shows on television and clips are making the rounds on social media, finding new audience in the next generation. These short clips and new binge sessions have allowed us to experience how great the writing of these show was.
Chances are, if you are a certain age, you can sing the theme songs to The Jeffersons and All in the Family (complete with screechy note), and have a clear image of Archie Bunker’s chair, The Jefferson’s living room, Maude’s cadence when she stated, “God will get your for that Walter” and the smile of Redd Foxx on Sanford and Son. Sometimes thought of as “the golden age of television,” these shows tackled racism, sexism, bigotry, homophobia, the working class, economic disparity, and a host of other issues that are still with us today.
Although always humorous in tone, these shows did not shy away from deeply felt dramatic and emotional moments. If you have never seen Esther Rolle as Florida grieve the death of her husband on Good Times, through the words “damn, damn, damn,” I would urge you to see it, as it is some of the finest acting that exists in any medium.
The Folks at Home builds upon this legacy of these sitcoms, and puts a cast of lovable characters in difficult situations, which allows them to discuss the social issues of our day, with humanity, humor, hope, and love. Like in a sitcom, our heroes, Roger and Brandon, learn valuable lessons from the people around them, and are ready to confront the next situation that they encounter, wherever that may be.
I have been so lucky to work on this play with an incredibly generous and gifted cast and crew, and am so thankful that you are here tonight. Thanks for coming to our “home” at Alleyway Theatre.