Crumbs from the Table of Joy by Lynn Nottage

L.A. Theatre Works produced lots of audio book full-cast productions of plays, including this one. I only discovered these in the library system’s catalog because I had watched online a delightful interview of Lynn Nottage and went looking for a book of her plays. The library has such a book but I also found the recording–and now I’ve found a treasure trove of recordings!

Enjoyed every minute of this play, which is 2 CD’s long. The time period is the 1950’s and the setting is NYC. The Crumb family, father and 2 teenage daughters, has moved to the big city from Florida because after the death of his wife Mr. Crumb is seeking answers to his many questions from an evangelist there who he is mesmerized by. The girls’ Aunt Lily who is a party animal and Communist lives in Harlem. She spices things up when she moves in with the Crumbs to “help with the girls” even though her help had not been sought. There’s more, but I won’t spoil the surprises.

Isn’t this title just delicious? When I found out the family’s last name was Crumb, I laughed out loud in my car where I was listening to it.

Lynn Nottage is a fine playwright. I read her very short (and early) play, “Poof!” in the book of her playscripts. In that play, an abusive husband when his wife finally tells him to go to hell spontaneously combusts. Love that. She and her friend just concern themselves with what to say when someone comes looking for him!