The Center at West Park in East Hampton, New York, will host a staged reading of the 1983 film The Big Chill August 31 at Guild Hall, with the performance to be followed by a talkback.
Among the starry actors who will be on hand to perform Lawrence Kasdan and Barbara Benedek’s screenplay will be Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei, Tony winner Matthew Broderick, Amy Brenneman, Spencer Garrett, Frederick Weller, Ilana Levine, and Jumaane D. Williams, with additional casting to be announced. David Saint is directing.
The film—which boasted a cast including Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Mary Kay Place, Meg Tilly, and JoBeth Williams—centers on a group of college schoolmates reuniting 12 years after graduating when one of their friend circle ends their life. In the years since its premiere, the movie has become a cult favorite, and was nominated for three 1984 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
The upcoming reading is being produced by Julianne Hoffenberg, Debby Hirshman, and Madelyn Paquette, and is being presented with the support of Columbia Pictures.
“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,” says Center Executive Director Hirshman in a statement. “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.”
Tickets are at CenteratWestPark.org.