Keen Company Presents

in Association with Rosalind Productions

CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE OF JOY

By Lynn Nottage

Directed by Colette Robert

LYNN NOTTAGE’S
CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE OF JOY

ran February 21 to April 1, 2023
Keen Company at Theater Row
Off-Broadway

This production was the first New York revival of the first play that two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage ever had produced.

Set against the social politics of the 1950s, this charming, funny, and moving play follows 17-year-old Ernestine Crump as she adjusts to life after the passing of her beloved mother. In search of spiritual answers, Ernestine’s father relocates the family from Pensacola to Brooklyn where the Crumps must navigate a changing family dynamic, an unwelcoming neighborhood, and a shifting set of American ideals. Crumbs from the Table of Joy questions the limits of escapism and the power of everyday hope.

Starring
Shanel Bailey
Jason Bowen
Sharina Martin
Natalia Payne
Malika Samuel

Playwright
Lynn Nottage
Director
Colette Robert
Production Stage Manager
Shane Schnetzler
Asst. Stage Manager
Sammy Landau
Scenic Designer
Brendan Gonzales Boston
Props Designer
Caitlyn Murphy
Costume Designer
Johanna Pan
Assoc. Costume Designer
Dan Wang
Wig Designer
Nikiya Mathis
Assoc. Wig Designer
Tinika Sadiku
Asst. Wig Designer
Lasangra Aarons
Lighting Designer
Anshuman Bhatia
Asst. Lighting Designer
Nicole Sliwinski
Co-Sound Designer
Daniel Baker
Co-Sound Designer
Aaron Meicht
Fight & Intimacy Director
Rocio Mendez
Asst. Fight & Intimacy Director
Alex Might
Dialect Coach
Amanda Quaid
Mambo Choreographer
Maria Torres O’Connor
Vocal Coach
Darcia Parada
Press Rep.
John Wyszniewski
Production Manager
Savanah Sanchez
Master Electrician
Eric Nightingale
Audio Supervisor
R.J. Hetman
Wardrobe Supervisor
Brooklyn Garza
Wig Supervisor
Courtney Horry
Asst. Wig Supervisor
Christine Holt
Light Board Programmer
Leslie Huynh
House Manager
Juni B. L.

Production Photos

Reviews

“THE ENSEMBLE ACTS WITH A KEENING SIMPLICITY: BENEATH EACH SWEET PERFORMANCE RUNS A LASTING ACHE.”

– The New Yorker

“A PLEASURE!”

– The New York Times

“OUTSTANDING!”

“Heartfelt”

“Under Colette Robert’s sensitive direction, the actors deliver memorable three-dimensional performances, bringing vibrant color to an era too often cast in black-and-white.”

– TheaterMania

“Delightful”

“Every single actor turns in a performance which could not conceivably be improved upon. If you weren’t fortunate enough to be on hand for the play’s debut, don’t miss this opportunity to catch up.”

“richly crafted”

“What a joy it is to see an early work from a playwright you’ve long admired and discover something so terrific that you wish you could go back and see the play in its first incarnation.”

“Crumbs has a voice all its own. It also has one of the most jaw-dropping Act 1 endings you’ll ever see.”

-New York Stage Review

“Director Colette Robert and the excellent cast have done themselves proud with this production, which is dramatic, funny, and highly entertaining. Not bad for a novice playwright!”

-Talkin’ Broadway

“a probing intelligence, a generous heart, and an unapologetic directness.”

“Nearly 30 years on, Crumbs From the Table of Joy retains all its tender charm, and Ms. Robert and her company mine it beautifully.”

-New York Sun

“delightful and moving”

“Nottage makes sure the audience leaves the theater fully nourished.”

-Theater Pizzazz