The Whale

A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

The Whale

Full-Length Play, Drama  /  3w, 2m

A 600-pound recluse, hiding away from the world and slowly eating himself to death, is given one last chance at redemption.

Image: 2012 Playwrights Horizons Production (Joan Marcus)

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    3w, 2m
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Not Applicable
  • Suggested Use
    • Monologues
    • Scene work
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! 2013 Lucille Lortel Award, Best Play
    Winner! 2013 Drama Desk Special Award for Significant Contribution to Theatre
    Winner! 2013 GLAAD Media Award, Outstanding New York Theatre
    Nominee: 2013 Drama League Award, Outstanding Production of a Play
    Nominee: 2013 Outer Critics Circle Awards, Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play
    Nominee: 2013 John Gassner Award, Outstanding New American Play
    Finalist: 27th Annual Lambda Literary Award, for best LGBT Drama of 2014/15

    Samuel D. Hunter is a 2014 MacArthur "Genius Grant" Fellow
    Samuel D. Hunter is the 2012 recipient of the Whiting Award for Drama
The Whale

Details

Summary
On the outskirts of Mormon Country, Idaho, a 600-pound recluse hides away in his apartment and slowly eats himself to death. Desperate to reconnect with his long-estranged daughter, he reaches out to her, only to find a viciously sharp-tongued and wildly unhappy teen. Big-hearted and fiercely funny, The Whale tells the story of a man's last chance at redemption, and of finding beauty in the most unexpected places.
History
The Whale was developed in part at the Denver Center Theatre Company's 2011 New Play Summit. The play had its world premiere at the Ricketson Theatre in Denver, Colorado, presented by the Denver Center Theatre Company in January 2012. It was directed by Hal Brooks. The play was first presented off-Broadway by Playwrights Horizons at the Peter J. Sharp Theatre on October 12, 2012. It was directed by Davis McCullum.
CHARLIE – Early to mid-forties, male, weighing around 600 lbs.
LIZ – Mid to late-thirties, female.
ELDER THOMAS – 19, male.
ELLIE – 17, female.
MARY – Early to mid-forties, female.
  • Time Period Present Day, New Millennium/21st Century
  • Setting Northern Idaho, the present.
  • Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes, Elaborate / High Volume Costumes
  • Additional Features No intermission
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Intense Adult Themes
    • Strong Language

Media

“Riveting... an impassioned and arresting clash of minds and emotions. I was glued to the stage... Equally dynamic and horrifying.” – New York Observer

“Vibrant and provocative... Hunter explores his material with sharp-eared skill and sensitivity.” – Village Voice, Read More

“Extraordinary. As he did in his breakthrough play A Bright New Boise, Hunter has constructed an outsize, gothic scenario in tender miniature.” – New York Magazine, Read More

“FOUR STARS. A deeply affecting and piercingly amusing play by Samuel D. Hunter... Leaves an emotional wallop in its wake.” – New York Daily News, Read More

“CRITIC'S PICK. FOUR STARS. Sharp and funny... Harrowingly good, endowing [its main character] with wit and dignity.” – Time Out New York, Read More

“Riveting... an impassioned and arresting clash of minds and emotions. I was glued to the stage... Equally dynamic and horrifying.” – New York Observer, Read More

Samuel D. Hunter on The Whale

“Though the story of The Whale is fundamentally a story of a father trying to reconnect with a daughter, he's doing so by trying to teach her how to write a good essay. But in teaching her how to write a good essay, he's trying to teach her how to think independently and how to relate to other people. Ultimately, he's teaching her how to have empathy.” Read the entire essay here.

ON BREAKING CHARACTER

A Gripping Redemption: THE WHALE
by Julia Izumi
February 25, 2015

Videos

  • The Whale: Playwrights Horizons Trailer youtube thumbnail

    The Whale: Playwrights Horizons Trailer

  • Samuel D. Hunter: Advice on Producing His Plays youtube thumbnail

    Samuel D. Hunter: Advice on Producing His Plays

  • The Whale: Becoming Charlie at South Coast Rep youtube thumbnail

    The Whale: Becoming Charlie at South Coast Rep

Photos

  • The Whale

    Image: 2012 Playwrights Horizons Production (Joan Marcus)

Music

  • Musical Style N/A (Not a musical)
  • Vocal DemandsN/A (Not a musical)
  • Chorus Size N/A (Not a musical)

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: $130 per performance

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Authors

Samuel D. Hunter

Samuel D. Hunter grew up in Moscow, Idaho and lives in New York City with his husband and daughter. His full-length plays include The Whale (Drama Desk Award, Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play, GLAAD Media Award, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle nominations for B ...

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