All Nighter (play)

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All Nighter
Written byNatalie Margolin
Date premieredFebruary 25, 2025
Place premiered MCC Theater
Original languageEnglish
Subject Existentialism, grief, family, addiction, sexual assault
SettingCollege library, 2014

All Nighter is a dramedy play by Natalie Margolin. The show, first produced Off-Broadway in 2025, follows a central group of female friends who are studying for their exams in their final week of college. During the night a series of secrets are revealed which change their lives forever.

Contents

The play had its world premiere off-Broadway with previews starting February 25, 2025 and opening night March 9, 2025 at the Robert W. Wilson Theater, with direction by Jaki Bradley. The original production starred Havana Rose Liu, Alyah Chanelle Scott, Kathryn Gallagher, Kristine Froseth, and Julia Lester and was produced by the MCC Theater.

Summary

The story revolves around a central group of four close friends (Lizzy, Tessa, Jacqueline, and Darcie) studying for final exams with only five days left of their senior year in college looming over them. During the night a series of secrets are revealed which change their lives forever.

Cast

Role MCC Theater
Off-Broadway (2025)
Lizzy Havana Rose Liu
Tessa Alyah Chanelle Scott
Jacqueline Kathryn Gallagher
Darcie Kristine Froseth
Wilma Julia Lester

Replacements

Production

The play had its world premiere off-Broadway with previews starting February 25, 2025 with opening night March 9, 2025 at the Robert W. Wilson Theater with direction by Jaki Bradley. The original production starred Havana Rose Liu, Alyah Chanelle Scott, Kathryn Gallagher, Kristine Froseth, and Julia Lester and was produced by the MCC Theater. It was. [1] [2] On April 17, 2025, a replacement cast was announced with Anna Sophia Robb and Isa Briones replacing Frøseth as Darcie and Rose Liu as Lizzy, respectively with performances starting April 30th, 2025. [3] [4]

Critical reception

The production was met with mixed to positive reviews. Robert Hofler of TheWrap praised it's "aptly direction and excellent cast" adding, "Margolin knows how to construct a well-built play without making it look contrived" noting that there are "big pay-offs that had the audience at MCC gasping out loud in the final moments". [5] Jackson McHenry of Vulture noted the chemistry of the cast, and Gilmore Girls -esque rabid fire dialogue but wrote that the script didn't fully address the conflicts that were introduced. Henry singled out Lester's performance as someone who "cannonballs into the action with a gift of a role that she can play as broad and angsty as she likes" as well as the "on-point costumes by Michelle J. Li." [6]

Rachel Graham of TheaterMania wrote, "The humor, cultural critique, and performances make it a hangout worth attending." [7] Maya Phillips of The New York Times wrote that despite the fact that All Nighter inches towards interesting themes it felt overall "underwhelming" adding, "[It] feels as though it has felt a lot of unfinished work on the table". She however praised the performances of Liu and Lester. [8] David Finkle of New York Stage Review praised the direction, ensemble, and costume design while opining that the plays "final sequences..begin to feel less than convincing, more a contrivance". [9]

Accolades

2025 Off-Broadway revival

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.
2025 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play Julia Lester Nominated [10]
Lucille Lortel Awards Outstanding Featured Performer in a PlayNominated [11]

References

  1. "Meet the cast of Off-Broadway's 'All Nighter'". NY Spectrum One. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  2. "Backstage With the 'All Nighter' Cast on Opening Night". Yahoo News. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  3. "AnnaSophia Robb, Isa Briones to join 'All Nighter' Off-Broadway cast". New York Theater Guide. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  4. "Isa Briones and AnnaSophia Robb Join Cast of All Nighter". Playbill. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  5. "'All Nighter' Off Broadway Review: When College Ends With a Bang, Not a Whimper". TheWrap . Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  6. "Launching Into Adulthood, With Frenemies and Hummus: All Nighter". Vulture . Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  7. "Review: Julia Lester, Kathryn Gallagher, and Solid Cast Make All Nighter Worth Staying Up For". Theatermania. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  8. "'All Nighter' Review: No Sleep but Plenty of Gripes". The New York Times . Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  9. "All Nighter: Five College Seniors Face Graduation and Each Other". New York Stage Review. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  10. "Boop! Leads 2025 Drama Desk Award Nominations With 11 Nods Including Outstanding Musical; Read the Full List Here". Playbill. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  11. "Our Class Leads 2025 Lucille Lortel Award Wins; Read the Complete List Here". Playbill. Retrieved May 5, 2025.