Fri Dec 20 14:30:00 UTC 2024: ## Dysfunctional Family Drama “Cult of Love” Opens on Broadway
**New York, NY** – Leslye Headland’s new play, “Cult of Love,” opened Thursday at the Helen Hayes Theater, offering a darkly comedic look at a deeply dysfunctional family gathering during the holiday season. Starring Zachary Quinto, Shailene Woodley, and Mare Winningham, the production explores the simmering tensions and long-held secrets within the Dahl family.
The play centers on the annual Christmas dinner of the Dahls, a seemingly idyllic New England family whose cheerful façade masks a multitude of unresolved issues. While the family tries to maintain a veneer of festive cheer, their repressed emotions and conflicting beliefs erupt into a chaotic meltdown. Each family member grapples with their own struggles: a faithless lawyer son, a chef daughter who is a lesbian, a recovering addict, and a daughter whose mental state is uncertain. The family’s controlling and religiously devout mother, Ginny, further complicates matters by refusing to acknowledge any problems that disrupt her idealized vision of family harmony.
Director Headland, known for her earlier work “Bachelorette,” masterfully weaves together humor and unsettling drama, creating a darkly funny, yet poignant exploration of family dynamics and the complexities of repressed emotions. While the play mines humor from the family’s toxic blend of religion and repression, it also delves into the emotional pain and conflict beneath the surface. “Cult of Love” promises to be a captivating, if unsettling, holiday offering for Broadway audiences.
First Piper 