Theatergoers adorned Pearl Street in Downtown Hartford on Friday night for TheaterWorks Hartford’s premiere of the Tony-nominated performance, “Clyde’s”.
Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage first opened “Clyde’s” on Broadway at Hayes Theater in 2021. A blend of comedy and social commentary, Hartford’s performance is directed by Chicago-based Director Mikael Burke and runs from July 7–30.
“Clyde’s is a delicious workplace comedy that reminds us that a great sandwich is so much more than just the sum of its parts,” Burke commented. “The play asks: Are we just the products of our mistakes, or is it possible to transcend them to become something more?”
A formerly incarcerated kitchen staff at a truck stop sandwich shop in Pennsylvania is offered a shot at reclaiming their lives. Despite the shop owner’s attempts to keep them under her control and influence, the crew discovers purpose and personal aspirations through their shared quest of creating the perfect sandwich.
“This funny, touching, and tasty tale shows us that while it’s easy to give up on ourselves when the world tells us we should, we must remember to love ourselves fully—mistakes and all—to free ourselves from our own prisons of self-hate. We, too, are more than just the sum of our parts,” Burke shared.
TheaterWorks Hartford has partnered with Community Partners in Action (CPA) to support its annual fundraiser. On Thursday, July 13, all proceeds from Clyde’s performance that night will be donated to support CPA and the Prison Arts Program.
With at least 11 productions, “Clyde’s” has been the most-produced play across the country this past season, according to an annual survey by American Theater magazine.
“Clyde’s’ just hit the sweet spot—it has a multiracial cast, it addresses issues of incarceration and racial tension, it’s a comedy, and it’s really smart, and it’s by a Pulitzer winner,” American Theater Editor-In-Chief Rob Weinert-Kendt told the New York Times. “It’s a comedy, but it’s not turning away from the world.”
TheaterWorks Hartford’s cast includes Ayanna Bria Bakari as Letitia, Michael Chenevert as Montrellous, Samuel María Gómez as Rafael, David T. Patterson as Jason, and Latonia Phipps as Clyde.
Tickets are priced from $25 to $65 and can be purchased online or through the phone at (860)527-7838. The show runs for 95 minutes with no intermission. TheaterWorks Hartford no longer requires proof of vaccination, learn more about its COVID policy at twhartford.org
“Clyde’s has everything that our audiences love: great writing, funny, entertaining, intimate, and relatable, and it encourages important conversations in the community,” remarked Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero.
Publisher’s Notes: CT Latino News is proud to partner with TheaterWorks Hartford in supporting the state’s Arts and Culture.