Little Bear Ridge Road

Little Bear Ridge Road
Written bySamuel D. Hunter
CharactersSarah, sixties
Ethan, early to mid thirties
James, late twenties or early thirties
Paulette, forties or fifties
Date premiered2024
Place premieredSteppenwolf Theatre Company
Original languageEnglish
SubjectDrama
SettingNorth Idaho, 2020-2022

Little Bear Ridge Road is a play written by Samuel D. Hunter. The play, set in the outskirts of Troy, Idaho, tells the story of an estranged nephew and his aunt who reunite at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to settle their estate of their deceased father and brother, respectively. Though emotionally distant, they find themselves drawn to care for each other.[1][2]

Characters

  • Sarah - 60s, female
  • Ethan - Early to mid 30s, male.
  • James - Late 20s or early 30s, male.
    • The actor playing James also voices Kenny.
  • Paulette - 40s or 50s, female.
    • The actor playing Paulette also voices Vickie.[3]

Production history

Origins

Commissioned by Steppenwolf Theatre Company as a vehicle for Laurie Metcalf's return to her hometown theater, the play was workshopped at Steppenwolf in Chicago, Illinois in 2023.[4] It won the 2024 Jeff Award for New Work.[5]

Hunter stated that his initial point of inspiration for Little Bear Ridge Road was to write a play about people watching television, and that the pandemic setting was only added once he started writing the play in 2023, reflecting how "we all retreated to our screens" when the COVID-19 pandemic began.[6]

According to Hunter, he decided to focus on the relationship between an aunt and nephew mourning a patriarch, as opposed to that of a mother and son, because "I've never really seen this relationship explored specifically in a play." He stated that specificity of Sarah and Ethan's relationship "could be really close, or almost strangers."[6]

Staging

The play had its world premiere at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. The cast, directed by Joe Mantello, included Laurie Metcalf as Sarah and Micah Stock as Ethan.[7]

Mantello described Hunter's work as "really theatrical" and "a kind of particular quiet genius", but that he "[doesn't] know how he does it."[8]

Reception

Steven Oxman wrote in the Chicago Sun-Times: "This is a deeply beautiful piece of writing, bleakly funny, poetic in its plainness, aching in its intense empathy for the characters".[9] Another reviewer, Karen Topham, wrote: "Little Bear Ridge Road is everything theatre should be and everything Steppenwolf always was".[10]

References

  1. ^ Vitello, Barbara (2024-06-27). "Classic Steppenwolf: Exceptional 'Little Bear Ridge Road' reveals Chicago theater at the height of its powers". Daily Herald. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
  2. ^ "2024 Equity Nominees". The Joseph Jefferson Awards. Archived from the original on 2024-12-04. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  3. ^ Morgan, Scott C. (2024-06-26). "THEATER Metcalf adds to Steppenwolf's 'Little Bear Ridge Road' luster". Windy City Times. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
  4. ^ Steppenwolf Theatre Company (2024-07-19). Laurie Metcalf & Joe Mantello | Little Bear Ridge Road. Retrieved 2024-10-14 – via YouTube.
  5. ^ "2024 Equity Jeff Awards: Marriott's 'Beautiful' and Steppenwolf plays are big winners". Chicago Tribune. 2024-10-01. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
  6. ^ a b Steppenwolf Theatre Company (2024-05-31). Samuel D. Hunter on Little Bear Ridge Road. Retrieved 2024-10-14 – via YouTube.
  7. ^ "Little Bear Ridge Road". www.steppenwolf.org. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
  8. ^ Steppenwolf Theatre Company (2024-07-19). Laurie Metcalf & Joe Mantello | Little Bear Ridge Road. Retrieved 2024-10-14 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ Oxman, Steven (2024-06-24). "Stellar cast, captivating writing combine for brilliant 'Little Bear Ridge Road'". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on 2024-12-04. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  10. ^ Topham, Karen (2024-07-06). "Little Bear Ridge Road is everything theatre should be and everything Steppenwolf always was |". Chicago Onstage. Archived from the original on 2024-12-04. Retrieved 2024-12-04.