Play By Play I NEED THAT( 2022)
Play By Play I NEED THAT( 2022)
Written By: Theresa Rebeck Directed by: Moritz von Stuelpnagel Starring: Danny DeVito and Lucy DeVito and Ray Anthony Thomas
Theresa Rebeck’ s I NEED THAT marked another significant milestone in Dorset Theatre Festival’ s theatrical pipeline, demonstrating the Festival’ s invaluable role in shaping high-profile theatrical works bound for major New York stages. Featuring the beloved father-daughter duo, Danny DeVito and Lucy DeVito, this production began its journey with an intimate, yet impactful, workshop and onenight reading at Dorset.
Rebeck recalls the critical early involvement of Danny and Lucy DeVito as foundational to the play’ s development, explaining that their collaboration profoundly influenced the play’ s direction and depth.“ Our first step into the public eye was very much like a family matter,” she recounts warmly, emphasizing the unique community-driven warmth and intimacy that Dorset provided. Rebeck describes Dorset as a“ safe place” that offered the necessary privacy and artistic freedom critical during the initial stages of this high-profile project. The enthusiastic audience reception during the reading significantly boosted the team’ s confidence, laying the groundwork for the production’ s subsequent success.“ It was an incredibly supportive atmosphere,” Rebeck explains,“ where we felt completely free to explore and shape the play without external pressures.” choices and really learning what the play and characters were about.” Lucy further emphasizes the community spirit, noting,“ The whole community showed up for the staged reading, so we felt extremely supported. That warmth created the best scenario for creation, enabling us to feel comfortable, take risks, and find the stories we wanted to tell.”
Beyond the theater, Lucy cherishes vivid personal memories of Dorset, underscoring the enriching quality of her experience.“ On my time off, I took these lovely walks and found a trail near our house,” she reflects warmly.“ The lushness of Vermont was incredible. We went to The Dorset Inn a couple of times, which was one of my favorite places. The food was amazing, and we all went there for a drink after the reading to celebrate. It felt like a vacation – a great escape from Los Angeles. Dorset allowed us the space to breathe and appreciate our surroundings, enhancing our creativity.”
Will Rucker vividly remembers the one-night reading as a transformative moment for both the artists and the Festival itself.“ That evening with Danny and Lucy DeVito was extraordinary. There was a palpable sense of excitement and community,” Rucker reflects.“ It really highlighted Dorset’ s essential role as a creative incubator— this wasn’ t just about developing a new play, it was about bringing artists and audiences together in a uniquely supportive space.”
Ryan Koss adds context to the special community energy that surrounded the reading, noting how the event resonated far beyond the walls of the theatre.“ Having Danny and Lucy DeVito engage so genuinely with our community added an incredible warmth and authenticity to the experience,” Koss states.“ It exemplified how Dorset Theatre Festival can seamlessly blend high-caliber professional artistry with a genuine, grounded community connection.”
The strength of Dorset’ s creative ecosystem— fueled by trust, artistic courage, and supportive community interactions— allowed Rebeck and the DeVitos to refine their performances and deepen the play’ s emotional impact.“ This kind of environment is incredibly rare,” Rebeck emphasizes,“ and it gave us the courage and confidence needed to fully explore the characters and narrative.”
Ultimately, this early Dorset experience proved instrumental as I NEED THAT transitioned to Broadway, dazzling audiences at Roundabout Theatre Company. Rucker encapsulates the Festival’ s broader role succinctly:“ Our goal at Dorset is always to provide artists the resources, freedom, and community backing they need to do their best work. With I NEED THAT, seeing it move successfully to Broadway was incredibly rewarding— it underscored exactly what Dorset Theatre Festival strives to achieve.” Ryan Koss echoes this sentiment, concluding,“ It truly was a pivotal moment for everyone involved, reinforcing our belief that when artists are given space and trust, incredible things can happen.”
Lucy DeVito fondly echoes Rebeck’ s sentiment, highlighting the idyllic nature of Dorset’ s environment and its profound impact on the creative process.“ Everyone at Dorset is so welcoming and accommodating,” Lucy recalls.“ The theater itself is big, yet cozy, and the charm of Vermont is insane. We were provided with all these wonderful amenities to feel comforted and enthusiastic about trying out different
Ray Anthony Thomas, Danny DeVito, and Lucy DeVito, at the curtain call of I NEED THAT on Broadway
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