Appropriate (play)

Appropriate is a dramatic play written by American playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.

Appropriate
Broadway promotional poster
Written by	Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Date premiered	2013
Place premiered	Actors Theatre of Louisville
Original language	English
Subject	Drama
Setting	The living room of a former plantation home in southeast Arkansas. Summer.

Synopsis

Appropriate follows the dysfunctional Lafayette family as they return to a decaying plantation mansion in Arkansas to battle over their recently deceased father's inheritance. Soon after the discovery of a relic buried deep in the recess of their family's past, decades of resentment burst through centuries of historical sin.^[1]

Characters

• Antoinette "Toni" Lafayette: the oldest sibling, late 40s/early 50s
• Rhys Thurston: Toni's son, late teens
• Beauregard "Bo" Lafayette: Toni's brother, late 40s/early 50s
• Rachael Kramer-Lafayette: Bo's wife, late 40s
• Cassidy "Cassie" Kramer-Lafayette: their daughter, early teens
• Ainsley Kramer-Lafayette: their son, a child
• Francois "Franz" Lafayette: brother of Toni and Bo, late 30s/early 40s
• River Rayner: Franz's fiancee, early 20s

Production history

Jenkins conceived the play through participation with the Vineyard Arts Project and the Sundance Institute Theatre Lab beginning in 2011. The play was first performed at Actors Theatre of Louisville in the Humana Festival of New American Plays.^[2]

The play was next performed in Chicago at the Victory Gardens Theater and at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington D.C. in 2013.^[3][4]

Appropriate began previews Off-Broadway on February 25, 2014, in The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre at the Pershing Square Signature Center, New York. It had its opening night on March 16, 2014, playing a limited run to April 6.^[5] Johanna Day was given the Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress for her performance.

The play premiered on the West Coast at Center Theatre Group in 2015.^[6]

Appropriate opened at the Donmar Warehouse in London August 22, 2019, following previews from August 16. It played a limited run to October 5.^[7][8]

On June 15, 2023, Second Stage Theater announced that it would produce Appropriate at the Hayes Theater on Broadway as part of its 2023–2024 season with Lila Neugebauer as the director.^[9][10] Previews began on November 29, 2023, with the official opening on December 18, 2023. The show extended for a second time, concluding its run at the Hayes on March 3, 2024. Appropriate transferred to the Belasco Theatre on March 25, 2024 and ran through June 30, 2024. The extended cast includes everyone except Elle Fanning, who was replaced by Ella Beatty, daughter of Warren Beatty and Annette Bening, making her Broadway debut.^[11][12]

Original casts

Character	Louisville[5]	Off-Broadway[5]	Los Angeles[5]	London[8]	Broadway[8]
	2013	2014	2015	2019	2023
Antoinette 'Toni' Lafayette	Jordan Baker	Johanna Day	Melora Hardin	Monica Dolan	Sarah Paulson
Franz Lafayette	Reese Madigan	Patch Darragh	Robert Beitzel	Edward Hogg	Michael Esper
River Rayner	Natalie Kuhn	Sonya Harum	Zarah Mahler	Tafline Steen	Elle Fanning
Rhys Thurston	David Rosenblatt	Mike Faist	Will Tranfo	Charles Furness	Graham Campbell
Rachael Kramer-Lafayette	Amy Lynn-Stewart	Maddie Corman	Missy Yager	Jaimi Barbakoff	Natalie Gold
Ainsley Kramer-Lafayette	Gabe Weible	Alex Dreier	Liam Askew Alexander Rodriguez	Orlando Roddy Oliver Savell	Everett Sobers Lincoln Cohen
Bo Lafayette	Larry Bull	Michael Laurence	David Bishins	Steven Mackintosh	Corey Stoll
Cassidy Kramer-Lafayette	Lilli Stein	Izzy Hanson-Johnston	Grace Kaufman	Isabella Pappas	Alyssa Emily Marvin

Accolades

2023 Broadway Revival

Year	Award	Category	Nominee	Result	Ref.
2024	Tony Awards	Best Revival of a Play	Branden Jacobs-Jenkins	Won	[13]
		Best Actress in a Play	Sarah Paulson	Won
		Best Featured Actor in a Play	Corey Stoll	Nominated
		Best Direction of a Play	Lila Neugebauer	Nominated
		Best Scenic Design of a Play	dots	Nominated
		Best Costume Design of a Play	Dede Ayite	Nominated
		Best Lighting Design of a Play	Jane Cox	Won
		Best Sound Design of a Play	Will Pickens and Bray Poor	Nominated
	Drama Desk Awards	Outstanding Revival of a Play		Won	[14]
		Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play	Sarah Paulson	Won
		Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play	Michael Esper	Nominated
		Outstanding Director of a Play	Lila Neugebauer	Nominated
		Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play	dots	Nominated
		Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play	Jane Cox	Won
		Outstanding Sound Design of a Play	Bray Poor and Will Pickens	Nominated
	Drama League Awards	Outstanding Revival of a Play		Won	[15]
		Distinguished Performance	Sarah Paulson	Won
			Corey Stoll	Nominated
		Outstanding Direction of a Play	Lila Neugebauer	Nominated
	Outer Critics Circle Awards	Outstanding Revival of a Play		Won	[16]
		Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Play	Sarah Paulson	Nominated
		Outstanding Direction of a Play (Broadway of Off-Broadway)	Lila Neugebauer	Nominated
		Outstanding Scenic Design (Broadway or Off-Broadway)	Dots	Nominated
	Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards	Favorite Featured Actress in a Play	Elle Fanning	Won	[17]