Off Book: The Thanksgiving Play

Good intentions collide with absurd assumptions in The Thanksgiving Play, and we’re going to unravel them all in the next Off Book. Penned by Lakota playwright Larissa FastHorse, The Thanksgiving Play made its Broadway debut in 2023 as the first play by a known female Native American playwright produced on Broadway. It’s the tale of a woke and well-meaning troupe of theatre artists as they scramble to create an elementary-school Thanksgiving pageant. How does one manage to celebrate both Turkey Day and Native American Heritage Month – while being historically accurate and offending no one? It gets complicated, to say the least. Learn more about the history and inspiration behind this wickedly funny roast of modern society.

Held in Studio A from 12:30-1:30 p.m., this free, “no reading required” book club with R.J. Jenkins of the Marion County Literacy Council is a fascinating hour of insights. THE THANKSGIVING PLAY is supported in part by Marion Cultural Alliance and the National Endowment for the Arts. Community Partners: Dave Schlenker Photography • Ocala Gazette