Events in Belleville

At Albert College on February 8, 9 and 10, audiences can enter a household of dysfunctional but familiar families they are guaranteed to fall in love with. The Dining Room, by A.R. Gurney, follows the evolution of social and family dynamics, expertly woven together through a series of interconnected scenes, each set in the dining room of a well-off household. With 18 actors and 18 diverse and unique vignettes, audiences will take a trip to the past and discover the secrets, surprises, and funny moments that all come to life at a dining room table. The play is a delectable blend of emotion, humour, and poignancy, allowing the audience to bear witness to the joys and sorrows of the classic American family from the 30s to the 80s. Through a variety of enticing, overlapping scenes, that range from the sentimental to the scandalous, such as a child pleading to his grandfather for tuition money, a mother with Alzheimer’s whose three sons are trying desperately to spend Thanksgiving with her, and a boy accidentally discovering his mother’s affair, audiences will meet a wide range of characters. This beloved play has been described as, “rueful and funny, and by the end, very moving” (The New York Times), and “a banquet of theatrical riches” (New York Daily News). Tickets are now on sale at albertcollege.ca/tickets at $15 for adults or $10 for students and seniors. The Dining Room will be performed at Albert College at 160 Dundas Street West, on February 8, 9 and 10 at 7:00 p.m.