Center Stage at Southampton Arts Center will present the Long Island premiere staged readings of Truman Capote’s holiday short stories collection — “The Thanksgiving Visitor,” “One Christmas” and “A Christmas Memory” on two consecutive November weekends.
Performances of “The Thanksgiving Visitor” will be held on Friday, November 15, at 7 p.m., Saturday, November 16, at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, November 17, at 2 p.m. Performances of “One Christmas” and “A Christmas Memory” will be held on Friday, November 29, at 2 p.m. (before the annual Southampton Village Christmas Parade), Saturday, November 30, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, December 1, at 2 p.m.
Produced through special arrangements with and permission granted by The Truman Capote Literary Trust, Center Stage will bring to life the bittersweet, heartwarming and thought-provoking prose written by one of the 20th century’s greatest and most celebrated American writers, Truman Capote. Set in the Depression eras of the early 1930s, the three tales are based largely upon Capote’s youth in rural Alabama and focus on young Buddy and his lovingly eccentric cousin, Sook. Together, through one Thanksgiving and two Christmases, Buddy and Sook learn much about honesty, love, loss and enduring friendship.
“The Thanksgiving Visitor” focuses on young Buddy and his reluctance to invite a classmate to his family’s annual Thanksgiving dinner. In “One Christmas,” young Buddy spends the holiday away from his Alabama family and in New Orleans with his rarely seen father. “A Christmas Memory” is Capote’s love letter to his elderly cousin, Sook, who raised him and taught him much about kindness, sharing and forever.
“The Truman Capote Literary Trust was quite agreeable to having Mr. Capote’s short stories presented in an area he once called home,” said Michael Disher, who directs all three tales. “After negotiations were met and guidelines established, the trust granted permission. I am pleased and honored to be bringing these stories, in their entirety to the stage.
“It is the hope of the trust that interest in reading these stories is renewed,” he added. “In many areas, ‘A Christmas Memory’ was once required reading in many schools.”
The Center Stage cast includes Patrick Abillama, Daniel Becker, Susan Cincotta, Rori Finazzo, Tom Gregory, Vincenzo Harty, Franco Pistritto, Jack Seabury, Michaal Lyn Schepps, Richard Schindler and Mary Sabo Scopinich. Stage management and set design by Joey Giovingo. Projections and music by Jack Seabury. Production photography by Dane Dupuis. Graphics and posters designed by Tracy Alia.
“We look forward to our second season and holiday collaboration with Center Stage at Southampton Arts Center,” said Christina Strassfield, executive director of Southampton Arts Center. “We can think of no better way to jump start the holiday season than with these beautiful tales.”
The Southampton Arts Center is located at 25 Jobs Lane in Southampton. For more information, visit southamptonartscenter.org.
Staff Writer on Oct 22, 2024