A VERY FOWL THANKSGIVING
by Rosemary FrisinoToohey
The Thanksgiving gathering in this small apartment is no Norman Rockwell picture. The vegan teenager in the family is horrified that a “poor bird” is roasting away in the oven. There’s not enough food, but two uninvited guests manage to wangle their way in for dinner. Another couple said they had “news” to share and the family figured they’d hear about the upcoming birth of a child. Wrong. When the turkey catches fire and folks decide to take off for roomier pastures, an environmental accident occurs and everyone must “shelter in place.” Can it get any worse? Oh, yes indeed.
- Cast Size: 4M 6W 1 ANY
- Running Time: 90+ minutes
- Royalty Rate: $75 per performance
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About the Playwright
Produced on 4 continents and in 44 states, Rosemary FrisinoToohey has had more than 400 productions of her plays around the world. She was Audience Favorite at the British Theatre Challenge in London, Gold Medal Winner of the Italian American Theatre of Chicago’s First Playwright Competition, and three-time Winner of the Award for Best Play in the Baltimore Playwrights Festival. She’s also made Finalist for the Heideman Award, the Julie Harris Playwright Competition and the Arts & Letters Prize. Twelve of her comedies are published and three of her dramas have been honored with artist grants from the Maryland State Arts Council. A proud member of The Dramatists Guild of America, FrisinoToohey, a retired broadcaster, also holds long-standing membership in SAG/AFTRA. More at https://www.frisinotoohey.com.
“This comedy takes some comedic staples—family holidays, awkward reunions, bizarre strangers—and turns them into something original. For a start, unlike most plays that have farcical elements, the play does not have awkward entrances and exits. Once a character is on the stage, he or she stays there—however crowded it gets. Thus, by the end of the first act there are no fewer than 11 actors on stage, so cramped that they can barely move. At first, I wondered whether this was a playwriting mistake, but soon realized that it was a clever device that illustrates the sheer claustrophobia of family gatherings. None of the characters can move—either physically or verbally—without influencing the others.”
Witty dialogue, variety of characters, and the plot surprises make it appealing for theatrical groups with a limited budget. The setting, lighting and sound effects are readily adaptable to any venue, and the Thanksgiving background makes it an ideal production to launch the holiday season…Toohey has a knack for writing dialogue and crafting situations that carry a ring of truth, laced with a generous helping of good-natured humor.
My theater just produced this play, and it was a big hit! Audiences, not to mention my cast and crew, absolutely loved it. The play is very funny because it is real. We all know these characters. We’ve all been to an awkwardly uncomfortable Thanksgiving dinner. The end is so charming and wraps everything up so nicely. I highly recommend producing this play.
Review A Very Fowl Thanksgiving.