More Theater Monday - The Potluck

We were given complimentary tickets to The Potluck for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own 

What: The Potluck 

Where: Playwright's Horizons

             416 W. 42nd St.

             New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 17 and Up Due to Subject Matter

When: Through August 2, 2026

If you are looking for a light, happy musical, The Potluck is definitely not it. Rather, this heavy-hearted musical deals with the tragedy of the Greensboro Massacre. This perhaps little-known horrific event occurred when five labor organizers engaging in a protest against the KKK were murdered by members of the Klan and the American Nazi Party in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1979. 

This incident has been part of the playwright-composer, Cesar James Alvarez's, history his whole life. Not only were his parents part of the movement, although they were not there on the date of the occurrence, but he was, in fact, named after one of the victims. This show is his way of both reckoning with the tragedy and honoring the victims. 

The show is like an elegy, maintaining its heavy somber tone throughout, except for maybe a moment or two of humor here and there just to break up all the heaviness. The songs reflect this mood as well. There are no fun and catchy tunes that will stick in your head. Rather, the songs are kind of an elegiac poetry. They are haunting and mournful.

This is not an easy show to sit through and may, in fact, be triggering for some people. However, the story is extremely relevant. With the current state of the world, it is not inconcievable that something like this can happen again. That's why we must remember and face what happpened when it would be easier and less painful to look away.

And that's our view. For more about The Potluck or to purchase tickets, visit www.sohorep.org/shows/the-potluck

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Photo credits:

All The Potluck production photos by Juileta Cervantes

Images used in this post were sent by publicists, artists, and/or  PR firms and are used by permission.  Any Concerns regarding image usage can be addressed here.