BARBECUE

OCT 13 - NOV 5, 2023

WRITTEN by Robert O’Hara
PRODUCED by EIGHT FIFTEEN CAPITAL, LLC (Matthew Simpson + Joshua Patterson)
DIRECTED by by Jaylen Marks

”When ZIPPITY BOOM rolls up into this here park its gonna be the Greatest Show on Earth!”

Meet the O’Mallerys! They’re meeting up in their local park for some BBQ and some real talk with their sister Barbara whose drug habit is out of control!

But— there’s actually two O'Mallery families! 👀

Brought to you by Eight Fifteen Capital, LLC. and WSSR— the same folks who gave you The Wind And The Breeze.

Don’t miss this wild family comedy where things flip on you real quick!

A RICH EXPERIENCES PARTNERSHIP

BARBECUE is WSSR’s second collaboration and is a follow up to The Wind and the Breeze by Nathan Alan Davis.

Eight Fifteen Capital, LLC understands that people find value in rich experiences and high quality relationships. We bring these things to people through:

• Quality housing close to amenities, in solid neighborhoods


• Strategic partnerships with brands/companies around high quality products


• Events and entertainment that bring people together to make connections and enjoy rich experiences

We are looking forward to continuing this partnership by creating rich theatrical experiences for the people of Rockford.

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT

ROBERT O’HARA

Robert O'Hara has received the NAACP Best Director Award, the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding New Play, two Obie Awards and the Oppenheimer Award. He directed the World Premieres of Nikkole Salter and Danai Gurira’s In the Continuum, Tarell McCraney’s The Brother/Sister Plays (Part 2) and Colman Domingo’s Wild with Happy, as well as his own plays, BootyCandy and Insurrection: Holding History. His new plays, Zombie: The American and Barbecue, recently world premiered at Woolly Mammoth Theater and New York Shakespeare Festival, respectively.

He has directed around the country including Arena Stage, The Alley Theater, Primary Stages, Yale Rep, Woolly Mammoth, American Conservatory Theater, Magic Theater, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The Culture Project, The Flea, Philadelphia Theater Company, Wilma, Geva, City Theater, Dallas Theater Center, OSF and The Goodman Theater. He has been an Artist in Residence at the American Conservatory Theater, New York Shakespeare Festival, Theater/Emory and the Mellon Playwright in Residence at Woolly Mammoth, as well as a Visiting Professor at DePaul University School of the Arts and Adjunct at NYU/Tisch School of the Arts.

As a playwright, his work is produced all over the country and Mr. O’Hara has been commissioned by Playwrights Horizons, Steppenwolf, the Public Theatre, LaJolla Playhouse, McCarter Theater, Mark Taper Forum and Woolly Mammoth Theater. He is currently under commission from Lincoln Center and OSF. He has written screenplays for Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, Jon Avnet, HBO, ABC, Universal Pictures, Sony Pictures, New Line/Fine Line Cinema and Artisan Entertainment.

Mr. O’Hara has been awarded a Rockefeller Fellowship, a TCG Extended Collaboration Grant, NEA/TCG Fellowship, and was a Van Lier Fellow at New Dramatists. He received the LAMBDA Literary Award for best LGBT Drama, the Mark Taper Forum's first Sherwood Award and the TANNE Award for Exceptional Body of Work.

He recently directed a new musical, UniSon, inspired by the poetry of August Wilson, at OSF; a new musical, Bella: An American Tall Tale, by Kirsten Childs, at Playwrights Horizons; and the Chicago premiere of Bootycandy.

He received his Directing MFA from Columbia University.

SHOW TIMES

FRI Oct 13 - 8pm - Q&A TALKBACK
SAT Oct 14 - 8pm - Q&A TALKBACK
SUN Oct 15 - 4pm

FRI Oct 20 - 8pm
SAT Oct 21 - 8pm - Q&A TALKBACK
SUN Oct 22 - 4pm - Q&A TALKBACK

FRI Oct 27 - 8pm - Q&A TALKBACK
SAT Oct 28 - 8pm - Q&A TALKBACK
SUN Oct 29 - 4pm

FRI Nov 3 - 8pm
SAT Nov 4 - 2pm - Q&A TALKBACK
SAT Nov 4 - 8pm
SUN Nov5 - 4pm

Running Time: 120 Minutes + Intermission

SPECIAL EVENTS

“WHAT THE EFF DID I JUST SEE?”

Q&A TALK BACKS
Free with ticket

Stay after the show for a Q&A Talk Back with the cast and crew of BARBECUE. This is your chance to dig deeper into the themes of the show and hear about the creative process of bringing the play to life!

FREE TICKETS

WE BELIEVE EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THEATER…

…so we are launching PUBLIC ACCESS THEATER— and we need you to be part of it!

Here’s how it works:

1. We make all of our tickets FREE

2. You help us do it by DONATING

This simple, yet powerful approach makes sure everyone can attend!

DONATE

The cost to bring BARBECUE to life for you is $21,700.

A large part of that goes to the actors, some of whom work for over 120 hours.

Each actor receives a $1000 stipend to help them cover expenses associated with participation in theater, including transportation and child care.

If you Become a Member or Add A Donation to your free tickets, you will support Public Access Theater and help us make sure everyone in our community can come to the show!

BECOME A MEMBER

We are excited to announce WSSR Memberships!

When you make a tax-deductible donation of $100 or more, you are partnering with us to support Public Access Theater and make sure everyone can come to the show!

With a WSSR Membership, you can reserve more than 2 tickets at a time!

Plus, you get things like early access to tickets, guaranteed seats, WSSR merch, invites to special events, and more!

SPONSORS

Barbecue is made possible by a generous grant from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois.  

The mission of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois is to serve as a catalyst for giving in order to attract, preserve, and grow an endowment for the current and future needs of the people of Northern Illinois. Since its founding in 1953, CFNIL has granted more than $65 million for charitable purposes in the region.

Barbecue is made possible by a generous grant from the Rockford Area Arts Council. 

The Rockford Area Arts Council supports, promotes, and develops the arts for everyone in the Northern Illinois region.

CONTENT INFO

BARBECUE is an outrageous family comedy about an intervention! It contains strong profanity and drug use.

For specific information about the content, please contact us.

CAST

BLACK CAST

James T - Marcus Tobias
Lillie Anne - Stella Adams
Marie - Tambi Leslie
Adlean - Logan Tillmon
Barbara - Yazmin Jones

WHITE CAST

James T - Christopher Palmer
Lillie Anne - Erin Philpott
Marie - Erin Brady
Adlean - Erica Terry
Barbara - Ana Weickert

PRODUCTION STAFF

BARBECUE

DIRECTOR
Jaylen Marks

COSTUME DESIGNER
Colin Meyer

LIGHT + SOUND DESIGNER
Epic Jones

DRAMATURG
Yoandy Cabrera

ASST COSTUME DESIGNER
Brittany Arnold

CARPENTERY
Bob Peterson
Matthew Rip

STAGE MANAGER
Autumn Dancy

PROPS
Elyssa Cornejo
Holli Connell

WEST SIDE SHOW ROOM

ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Lenae Weichel

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Epic Jones

WSSR BOARD
Denise Delanty
Beth Edgerton
Epic Jones
Marilyn Lamar
Meredith MacKay
Robert Peterson
Lenae Weichel

SPECIAL THANKS

Gwen Lashock
Meredith Laubert
Sarah Rennicker

COVID SAFETY

MASKS ARE ENCOURAGED BUT NOT REQUIRED

If you aren’t feeling well or are experiencing symptoms, please stay home.

Any questions? contact@wssr.org

Barbecue had its world premiere at the Public Theater, Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director, Patrick Wellington, Executive Director, in New York, October 8, 2015
The play was directed by Kent Gash

Barbecue was commissioned by Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago
Martha Lavey, Artistic Director; David Hawkansom, Executive Director

Barbecue is presented through special arrangement with TRW PLAYS
1180 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 640, New York, NY 10036. www.trwplays.com