The Young Man from Atlanta
The Young Man from Atlanta
78

The Young Man from Atlanta NYC Reviews and Tickets

78%
(248 Reviews)
Positive
84%
Mixed
14%
Negative
2%
Members say
Great acting, Absorbing, Great writing, Dated, Slow

About the Show

Danger waits just underneath the surface in Horton Foote’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama of an aging couple still reeling from the death of their only child.

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Member Reviews (248)

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913 Reviews | 928 Followers
75
Uneven, Slow, Great story, Great acting, Entertaining

See it if Old fashioned play. Well acted and written. Not obvious. Keeps one guessing.

Don't see it if Some characters that lengthen the play but add next to nothing save for the run time.

1085 Reviews | 265 Followers
75
Disappointing, Great staging, Great acting, Funny

See it if Well acted, well directed play with good lighting. If you like Horton Foote.

Don't see it if The play is inconclusive and leaves you wanting a finality. Play only scratches the surface.

891 Reviews | 259 Followers
83
Resonant, Absorbing, Great acting, Great staging, Entertaining

See it if you would like a view of post WW2 in America where business/work/wealth collides with the American dream home/family/death. Great costumes.

Don't see it if you do not like productions of the 190's that have a different pace and do not provide all the answers. Here you have to think for yourself.

716 Reviews | 219 Followers
85
Sad, Resonant, Funny, Intricate, Absorbing

See it if 60-y.o. couple struggles to move on after son's suicide and man's job loss. Poses questions about masculinity, love & money.

Don't see it if You are uninterested in characters struggling to navigate 1950's gender roles & attitudes. Slow, lingering scenes. Read more

754 Reviews | 124 Followers
80
Dramatic, Traditional, Thought-provoking, Intelligent, Great acting

See it if you enjoy excellent traditional dramas with clear plot points and themes that leave you thinking.

Don't see it if you prefer musicals or experimental work.

716 Reviews | 157 Followers
78
Relevant, Slow, Overrated, Indulgent, Great staging

See it if you're a fan of Horton Foote & Michael Wilson's interpretation, curious as to how play won Pulitzer, like family sagas with secrets & denial

Don't see it if don't like slow-moving, obvious plot, you find Kirstein Nielsen annoying (she does fine), odd set (what with the doors?),or gay subtext

715 Reviews | 109 Followers
84
Very real, Great writing, Great acting

See it if you like a drama with great acting and wonderful writing. These are characters you can care about and relate to. I was very moved.

Don't see it if you like comedy or avant garde theater. This is a down to earth play done in a down to earth way. Read more

MJK
677 Reviews | 190 Followers
71
Disappointing, Slow, Good acting, Contrived, Dated

See it if u want to see Foote's inexplicable Pulitzer winner about secret lives, coping with modernity & loss (of life, career, dignity, money, trust)

Don't see it if u expect to meet Foote's Willy Loman or experience an important & impactful play from this prominent writer. [This is 2nd rate HF, at best] Read more

Critic Reviews (14)

The New York Times
November 24th, 2019

CRITIC’S PICK "A Heartbreaker Returns in ‘The Young Man From Atlanta’: The Signature Theater’s compassionate revival of Horton Foote’s 1995 Pulitzer Prize-winning play takes a slow route to devastation."
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Time Out New York
November 24th, 2019

3/5 Stars: "Even the most fervent Horton Foote fan might be hard-pressed to explain the appeal, much less the Pulitzer Prize, of 'The Young Man From Atlanta.' The playwright was renowned for his delicate, layered storytelling, but this 1995 drama lays it on thick."
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The Wall Street Journal
November 27th, 2019

"‘An Unwanted Guest to be Thankful For: Signature Theatre’s new revival of Horton Foote’s work makes clear the play’s surpassing excellence."
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Theatermania
November 24th, 2019

"'The Young Man From Atlanta' and the Old Man From Houston: Signature Theatre revives a Horton Foote play that it premiered 24 years ago."
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Lighting & Sound America
December 4th, 2019

"There is no greater Horton Foote authority than Michael Wilson, the director of the current edition, but this time his handling is a little wobbly…The pluses outweigh the minuses, however."
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Talkin' Broadway
November 24th, 2019

"The play may not pack the wallop it did twenty-five years ago, but 'The Young Man from Atlanta' offers a potent view of the United States on the cusp of social and political change."
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New York Stage Review
November 24th, 2019

3/5 Stars "Horton Foote won the Pulitzer Prize for this play, which doesn't stand up especially well in 2019."
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Theater News Online
November 25th, 2019

"WANTING AND WONDERING: The folksiness in Horton Foote’s family drama grows tiresome."
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