Jimmy Carter Was a Democrat, the inventive comedy by Rinne Groff that was a critical hit at P.S. 122 this spring, will transfer to a May 9-24 run at the Kitchen.
Steven Rattazzi will recreate his performance as Samuel B. Shostakovitz, a hapless liberal historian who—seemingly lecturing the audience from his grimy circa-1986 apartment—hopes to prove the nation took an irrevocable and regrettable turn to the political right after the disastrous airline traffic controller's strike of 1981. To illustrate Sam's thesis, Groff has the academic present a surreal play-within-a-play featuring characters involved in the strike (whether they're the actual people or actors is not clear; they don't seem to notice Sam at all). Shostakovitz orchestrates and takes part in this semi-serious, social melodrama, which examines the legacies of Carter, Reagan, the Iranian hostage crisis and the effort on the labor movement of the controllers' resounding defeat.
Michael Sexton directs the piece by the author of Inky. Also in the cast are Carla Harting, Molly Powell and Daniel Stewart. The show has lights by Heather Carson, set by Laura Hyman, costumes by Elizabeth Niemczyk, and sound design by Jill Du Boff.
Jimmy Carter ended its run at P.S. 122 on April 21.
The Groff play takes the place of a planned run at the Kitchen of The Paradise Project. That show was postponed, however, when star John Kelly fell of a trapeze and injured himself. The Kitchen is located at 512 West 19th Street between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues. For reservations call (212) 255-5793 ext. 11, or visit ticketweb.com or www.thekitchen.org.
—By Robert Simonson