| Cult Of Love | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Leslye Headland |
| Date premiered | May 18, 2018 |
| Place premiered | IAMA Theatre Company |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Drama |
| Setting | Modern Day, U.S. |
Cult Of Love is a dramatic stage play with music, written by American playwright Leslye Headland.
Background
Lesley Headland conceived the play as part of her Seven Deadly Sins cycle, with Cult of Love representing the theme of pride. Headland examines the Dahl family under the lens of accepting your family for who they are, even when their beliefs may be different than yours. The title comes from the idea that the familial unit can be a cult of its own, while she also tackles themes of religious differences within a household. The show premiered at the IAMA Theatre in Los Angeles as part of their 10th Anniversary season in 2018. Directed by Annie Tippe, the show ran from May 18, 2018 until June 24, 2018.
The show was next performed in 2020 with the Williamstown Theatre Festival, directed by Trip Cullman; originally meant to be an in-person production, it was done for Audible as an audio recording instead during the COVID-19 pandemic. The show includes musical segments with original songs, with the family gathering together to sing during the holidays.
Production history
Berkeley Repertory Theatre (2024)
A new production directed by Trip Cullman was staged by Berkeley Repertory Theatre as part of their 2023-2024 season, running from January 26 - March 3, 2024.
Broadway (2024)
In June 2024, it was announced that Cult of Love would premiere on Broadway as part of Second Stage Theater's 2024-2025 season at the Helen Hayes Theater, with Trip Cullman returning as director. The show is set to begin previews November 20, 2024, with an opening date of December 12, 2024.
Shailene Woodley, Zachary Quinto, and Barbie Ferreira have been announced as the stars of the Broadway production. The cast includes Roberta Colindrez and Rebecca Henderson, as well as three returning cast members from the Berkeley Rep production: Molly Bernard, Chris Lowell, and Christopher Sears.
Original casts
| Character | Los Angeles | Williamstown | Berkeley | Broadway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 2020 | 2024 | 2024 | |
| Virginia "Ginny" Dahl | Keliher Walsh | Kate Burton | Luisa Sermol | Mare Winningham |
| William "Bill" Dahl | Tom Amandes | Dylan Baker | Dan Hiatt | David Rasche |
| Diana Dahl-Bennett | Christine Woods | Taylor Schilling | Kerstin Anderson | Shailene Woodley |
| James Bennett | Graham Sibley | Chris Lowell | ||
| Mark Dahl | John Lavelle | Michael Esper | Lucas Near-Verbrugghe | Zachary Quinto |
| Rachel Dahl | Laila Ayad | Miriam Silverman | Molly Bernard | |
| Evie Dahl | Melissa Stephens | Rebecca Henderson | Virginia Kull | Rebecca Henderson |
| Johnny Dahl | Christian Durso | - | Christopher Sears | |
| Pippa Ferguson | Tina Huang | - | Cass Bugge | Roberta Colindrez |
| Lauren Montgomery | Lilli Stein | Paige Gilbert | Vero Maynez | Barbie Ferreira |
References
- Tran, Diep (2018-05-30). "Leslye Headland on Sin, Certainty, and Harvey Weinstein". AMERICAN THEATRE. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
- "Cult of Love Virtual Program". IAMA Theatre Company. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
- "Cult Of Love (Regional, Williamstown Theatre Festival". Playbill. 2020-02-12. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
- "Cult of Love". Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
- D'Souza, Karen (2024-02-02). "Review: A family unravels spectacularly for the holidays in 'Cult of Love' in Berkeley". The Mercury News. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
- Paulson, Michael (2024-06-25). "Leslye Headland's 'Cult of Love' to Open on Broadway in the Fall". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
- Evans, Greg (2024-09-18). "Shailene Woodley, Zachary Quinto & Barbie Ferreira Heading To Broadway In Leslye Headland's 'Cult Of Love'". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-09-19.