Linda Vista (play)

Linda Vista is a comedic play by American playwright Tracy Letts, following a 50 year-old divorcee reckoning with a mid-life spiral. The play premiered in 2017 at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, followed by productions in Los Angeles and Broadway in 2019.

Plot

The play follows Dick Wheeler, a womanizing and self-loathing 50-year-old divorcee who recently moved out of his ex-wife Margaret's garage into a new apartment. He takes a new job repairing classic cameras and ventures into the dating scene, finding a spark with a woman named Jules, while dealing with a mid-life spiral.

Production history

Linda Vista made its world premiere at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, where Letts is an ensemble member. The production opened on March 30, 2017 and ran through May 29, 2017, directed by Dexter Bullard and starring Ian Barford as Wheeler, Tim Hopper as Paul, Sally Murphy as Margaret, Caroline Neff as Anita, Cora Vander Broek as Jules, Kahyun Kim as Minnie and Troy West as Michael. The production received positive reviews, with Stage and Cinema calling it "a stunner" and a "wonder", praising Lett's writing, while Around the Town Chicago lauded is as "well-written" and "very funny."

The play was next produced at Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles in 2019, running January 9 through February 17. Most of the original production's cast reprised their role with the exception of Kim as Minnie, who was replaced by Chantal Thuy, and Bullard returned as director. The show received generally positive reviews, with BroadwayWorld calling the show "comically unsettling," with additional praise for Todd Rosenthal's rotating set design. The production was nominated for four Ovation Awards.

The play then moved to Broadway later in 2019, premiering at the Helen Hayes Theatre, produced by Second Stage Theatre. All cast members of the Los Angeles production reprised their role except for Tim Hopper as Paul, who was replaced by Jim True-Frost. The production began previews on September 19, 2019, officially opening on October 10, 2019. The play received critical acclaim, with The New York Times praising the cast, specifically Barford, and the play as an "inspired, ruthless take on the classic midlife-crisis comedy," naming it a Critic's Pick. The Hollywood Reporter lauded the Barford's performance as "terrific" and played with "cracked bravado," while calling Letts "profusely gifted."

The Broadway production was nominated for two Tony Awards, for Barford and Vander Broek, and two Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding New Broadway Play and for Barford.

Cast and characters

Accolades

2019 Los Angeles production

2019 Broadway production