Before you write this off as some sort of exorcism, note the quotation marks in the title. “The Dead” in this case references a dramatization of James Joyce’s longish short story of the same name, and it is being played out within the confines of the townhouse of The American Irish Historical Society (ca. 1900) on the Upper East Side (991 Fifth Avenue, New York). As with previous productions at this location, the audience will be limited to 48, all of whom will follow the actors around from room to room as the action in the play dictates.
But audience participation will not be limited to having the actors close enough at times to sit on their laps. The price of admission will also include a traditional holiday dinner (catered, appropriately, by Great Performances).
The play, which opened on Nov. 20, will run through Jan. 5, 2025 before heading to Broadway. Seats don’t come cheap, as you may have suspected. “Premium” dinner seats will set you back $1,000, while “regular” dinner seats are $400. For pikers there are “show-only” seats for $200.
See also…
Break Bread with the Cast in a New Production of James Joyce’s ‘The Dead’
