The Center at West Park, a New York City nonprofit community, arts and culture hub, will return to East Hampton to present a one-night-only staged reading of the “The Big Chill.”
The ensemble will feature Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei (“My Cousin Vinny,” “The Wrestler”), Tony Award-winner Matthew Broderick (“The Producers”), Emmy Award-nominee Amy Brenneman (“Judging Amy”), Spencer Garrett (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”), Drama Desk Award-winner Frederick Weller (“In Plain Sight”), Ilana Levine (“Tanner ’88”) and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams, with additional all-star cast members to be announced in the coming weeks. David Saint will direct. The performance will be followed by a talkback featuring the cast, creative team, and special guests.
“The Big Chill” is a beloved 1983 dramedy about a group of college pals who regroup in middle age for the funeral of a friend. It was co-written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan and starred Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Berenger, William Hurt, Mary Kay Place, Meg Tilly, and JoBeth Williams. Barbara Benedek co-wrote the film, which was nominated for three Oscars.
The reading will be held on Monday, August 31st at 7:00 p.m. at Guild Hall, located at 158
Main Street, East Hampton, NY 11937. The Center at West Park is located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and serves all five boroughs of New York City. The performance will have a single showing followed by a talkback with the cast and creative team.
Last year’s staged reading of “All the President’s Men” at Guild Hall, which featured Alec Baldwin, Andy
Cohen, Maddie Corman, Robert Downey Jr., Corey Hawkins, Nathan Lane, Kenneth Lonergan, Julianne
Moore, Gwyneth Paltrow, Wendell Pierce, Mark Ruffalo, J. Smith-Cameron, New York City Public
Advocate Jumaane D. Williams, and Ramy Youssef.
“It’s a tremendous privilege for The Center at West Park to serve audiences across New York and to continue our summer performance tradition in East Hampton at Guild Hall,” said Debby Hirshman, executive director of The Center at West Park. “After the incredible response to last summer’s staged reading of ‘All the President’s Men,’ we’re thrilled to return with ‘The Big Chill’ — a timeless film whose humor, heart, and unforgettable characters continue to resonate. We’re especially excited to welcome an extraordinary cast, including Marisa Tomei, Matthew Broderick, Amy Brenneman, Spencer Garrett, Frederick Weller, Ilana Levine, and Jumaane D. Williams. We look forward to sharing another unforgettable evening of storytelling with audiences at Guild Hall.”
This reading is presented with the support of Columbia Pictures. This performance of “The Big Chill” is produced by Julianne Hoffenberg alongside Hirshman and Madelyn Paquette, resident producer at The Center at West Park.
Tickets for the one night-only performance range from $1,000 to $10,000 and can be purchased at
the center’s website.
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