World Premiere of Richard Nelson’s “What Happened?: The Michaels Abroad”

No longer in comfortable Rhinebeck, New York, the Michaels family with deep roots in the world of modern dance, are crawling out from under the deadly pandemic, which has turned life as we knew it, upside down. It is now September 8th, 2021, and we find the Michaels in Angers, France, to attend a student dance festival. Called “As hopeful as it is heartbreaking” (New York Times), the first Michaels play took us into the kitchen of Rose Michael, a celebrated choreographer, as she faced a serious illness; What Happened? brings the family back together without the presence of its matriarch, Rose. Once again we are in a kitchen, and once again we witness the making of a meal; and like its title, What Happened?, the characters are asking questions–what just happened? What now? As they cook and eat and dance.

“Hunter Theatre Project is honored to present the capstone play of Richards Nelson’s 12-play Rhinebeck Panorama,” said Gregory Mosher, Producer of the Hunter Theatre Project. “There’s a special resonance to theatrical cycles by playwrights such as August Wilson, Eugene O’Neill, and Quiara Alegría’s Hudes, in which audiences experience more than each individual play, stand alone though they all certainly do. During the past decade, Nelson’s Apples, Gabriels, and now Michaels families have become part of the lives of theate-goers from around the world. As the Michaels and our audience alike emerge from the pandemic in this final play of the panorama, Nelson’s play explores both our sense of collective loss and a new beginning.”

What Happened?: The Michaels Abroad features Charlotte Bydwell, Haviland Morris, Maryann Plunkett, Jay O. Sanders, Matilda Sakamoto, Rita Wolf and Yvonne Woods. The design team includes set design by Jason Ardizzone-West; costume design by Susan Hilferty; lighting design by Jennifer Tipton; and sound design by Will Pickens. Production Stage Manager Theresa Flanagan.

Richard Nelson (Playwright and Director). His plays include the recent Pandemic Trilogy (three Zoom plays) as well as The Michaels, Illyria, The Gabriels, The Apple Family Plays, Nikolai and The Others, Farewell to the Theatre, Conversations in Tusculum, Goodnight Children Everywhere (Olivier Award, Best Play), Two Shakespearean Actors (Tony nomination, Best Play), Some Americans Abroad (Olivier nomination, Best Comedy), and others. His musicals include James Joyce’s The Dead (with Shaun Davey, Tony Award Best Book of a Musical); his screenplays include Hyde Park on Hudson (Roger Michell, director). He directed Uncle Vanya in 2018 for Gregory Mosher and the Hunter Theatre Project. With Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, he has co-translated plays by Chekhov, Gogol, Turgenev, and Bulgakov. He is an honorary associate artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company and recipient of the PEN/Laura Pels “Master Playwright” Award.

Hunter Theatre Project is a professional theatre company in residence at Hunter College. It launched in Fall 2018 with Richard Nelson’s Uncle Vanya, which was nominated for numerous awards and included in several Best of 2019 lists; the filmed version of the production was broadcast nationally on public television. It was followed in Spring 2019 by Isabella Rossellini’s one-woman, one-dog show Link Link Circus, and in early 2020 by Erica Schmidt’s all-female adaptation Mac Beth. Hunter Theatre Project aims to present high quality drama at prices affordable to young people, theatre artists, educators, and less affluent theatre-goers.

This production is made possible by a generous grant from Susie Sainsbury.

All guests must provide proof of completed immunization via Excelsior Pass or Vax Card, upon arrival to event. Any individual who fails to present proof of immunization, as required, will not be admitted into the event. Children under the age of 12 who are not yet vaccine eligible, and under the age of 16 who have not yet been vaccinated, may accompany and be seated with a vaccinated adult if masked.

What Happened?: The Michaels Abroad will have a strictly limited engagement at the Frederick Loewe Theatre at Hunter College from August 28 to October 8 with a very intimate configuration for an audience of only 74. Tickets are priced at $39.50 with student tickets $17.50 for all students with valid ID, including service charge. Hunter ID gets $5 off either price. (Running time is 1 hour, 50 minutes with no intermission). For more information on the world premiere production, please visit the Hunter Theater Project. General admission tickets are on sale now on Ovation.