Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant
Adapted with permission from the novel by Anne Tyler
“Deft…Authentic…Unusual.”- Patrick Young. Playwright
“Epic story… I couldn’t put it down.”- Raquel Duffy, Actor
A sweeping, forty year domestic comedy/drama about three siblings struggling to find their place in the world, and with each other, in the wake of their father’s abandonment and their mother’s anger and resentment. In the end, they come to terms with the family dynamic, when one of them unexpectedly invites the father to their mother’s funeral.
"Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant" is a poignant exploration of family dysfunction and resilience. This sweeping drama examines the scars left by abandonment and the ties that persist through pain. The richly drawn characters, each battling personal demons and shared memories, create a tapestry of raw emotion. The play deftly captures the universal longing for connection, delivering a heart-wrenching yet hopeful narrative about healing, understanding, and the enduring power of family.”
"Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant" delves deeply into the complexities of familial relationships, offering a layered portrayal of a family grappling with abandonment, resentment, and the unrelenting pull of shared history. At its core, the story reflects the cyclical nature of trauma and how past wounds inform present behaviors. Reynolds' ability to craft nuanced characters ensures that even the most flawed individuals evoke empathy, making their struggles feel universal…. Ultimately, "Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant" offers a raw and honest portrayal of family, proving that healing, while difficult, is possible through shared understanding and connection.”
from Script evaluation, International Theatre Competition, New York 2024
Please contact the playwright if interested in reading a draft of the script.
An October Crisis
Design by Michael Giacobbe
An October Crisis is a love story rooted in childhood, against the political backdrop of The October Crisis in Montreal, 1970. Charles and Jean-Francois are childhood friends but a misunderstanding leads to their split. Can they reconcile twenty years later, or has each changed too much to make redemption possible?
Slated for Toronto Queer Theatre Festival 2022