Brooke Martin
Birthday Candles is a play by Noah Haidle that premiered on Broadway at the American Airlines Theatre on April 10, 2022. The play follows the story of Ernestine Ashworth, who spends her 17th birthday pondering her insignificance in the universe, and subsequently journeys through the highlights and heartbreaks of her life as she ages from 18 to 101. Birthday Candles has been performed at various theatres, including the Roundabout Theatre Company, People's Light, and the American Airlines Theatre, and has received praise from critics for its poignant and funny portrayal of a woman's life.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Playwright | Noah Haidle |
| Director | Vivienne Benesch |
| Theatre | American Airlines Theatre |
| Dates | March 18, 2022–May 29, 2022 |
| Opening Night | April 10, 2022 |
| Star | Debra Messing |
| Other Cast Members | Enrico Colantoni, Crystal Finn, Susannah Flood, John Earl Jelks, and Christopher Livingston |
| Recommended Age | 13 and up |
| Run Time | 100 minutes |
| Relaxed Performance | Yes |
| Translation | Hebrew |
| Theatre in Israel | Cameri Theater in Tel Aviv |
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What You'll Learn
Birthday Candles premiered on Broadway at the American Airlines Theatre on April 10, 2022
"Birthday Candles", a play by Noah Haidle, premiered on Broadway at the American Airlines Theatre on April 10, 2022. The play, directed by Vivienne Benesch, stars Debra Messing as Ernestine Ashworth, a woman who ages from 17 to 101 without any external signs of ageing. Each year on her birthday, Ashworth bakes the same cake, a golden butter cake passed down from her mother, and reflects on the highlights, heartbreaks, and extraordinary moments of her life.
The play was originally scheduled to open in April 2020 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It finally premiered in 2022, with performances running from March 18 to May 29. The production featured a talented cast, including Enrico Colantoni, Crystal Finn, Susannah Flood, John Earl Jelks, and Christopher Livingston. Crystal Finn made her Broadway debut with this play.
"Birthday Candles" was first developed as part of the Chautauqua Theater Company's New Play Workshop series in 2017. Benesch, who was then the artistic director of the company, directed a Chautauqua production in 2017 before it debuted in Detroit in 2018. The play received critical acclaim, with the Chicago Tribune praising it as "precisely why people go to the theater."
Following its Broadway run, "Birthday Candles" continued to delight audiences worldwide. In November 2022, the play was translated into Hebrew and performed at the Cameri Theater in Tel Aviv, Israel. The play has also been presented at People's Light, offering relaxed performances that cater to a diverse range of audience needs and preferences.
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The play was written by Noah Haidle
The play Birthday Candles was written by Noah Haidle, a native Michigan playwright whose work has been seen on six continents. Birthday Candles premiered in 2018 at the Detroit Public Theatre, which commissioned the play in 2016. It subsequently made its Broadway debut at the American Airlines Theatre in 2022.
Birthday Candles follows the story of Ernestine Ashworth, who spends her 17th birthday agonising over her insignificance in the universe. As the play progresses, she quickly approaches her 18th, 41st, 70th, and 101st birthdays, ageing without any external signs of getting older. Through Ernestine's journey, Haidle explores themes of humanity, including friendship, family, and mortality, delivering them in a lighthearted way that surprises the audience.
The idea for Birthday Candles came to Haidle when he was with a friend whose eight-year-old daughter asked if she had wasted her life. Haidle decided to make his character older, using a series of birthdays to explore the answers to life's meaning and the sacrifices and joys that come with it. The play opens with 17-year-old Ernestine, a rebel against the universe, in the kitchen with her mother, learning to bake a cake from a family recipe. As the play progresses, Ernestine recreates the same birthday cake each year, using the act of baking as a metaphor for growing old.
Haidle's play is characterised by its simplicity, allowing audience members to see themselves or someone they know in the characters on stage. The original Broadway production of Birthday Candles was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, delaying its premiere in 2020. However, it finally opened in 2022, starring Debra Messing as Ernestine Ashworth and directed by Vivienne Benesch.
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It starred Debra Messing as Ernestine Ashworth
Birthday Candles is a play by Noah Haidle that premiered on Broadway at the American Airlines Theatre on April 10, 2022. The production was directed by Vivienne Benesch and starred Debra Messing as Ernestine Ashworth, with other cast members including Enrico Colantoni, Crystal Finn, Susannah Flood, and John Earl Jelks.
Debra Messing, known for her role in Will & Grace, portrayed the show's heroine, Ernestine Ashworth, in the Roundabout Theatre Company's production of "Birthday Candles." Messing's character, Ashworth, celebrates birthdays from ages 17 to 101 throughout the play, without any external signs of aging. The play follows Ashworth's life, highlighting the significant, heartbreaking, and extraordinary moments that comprise an ordinary woman's existence. Messing's character grapples with the universal question of whether she has wasted her life, a theme that resonates with audiences at different stages of their lives.
In the play, Ashworth bakes a cake onstage in real time, a golden butter cake, following an eight-step process. Messing, who portrays Ashworth, took on the additional challenge of learning to bake a cake as part of her performance. Messing's dedication to her craft and her obsessive work ethic were evident as she prepared for this unique aspect of the role.
"Birthday Candles" marked Messing's return to Broadway and her first collaboration with the Roundabout Theatre Company. In an interview, Messing expressed her enthusiasm for theatre, calling it her "first love", and described the opportunity to originate a brand-new play with the Roundabout Theatre Company as a "privilege." Messing's commitment to her craft and her passion for the theatre shone through in her portrayal of Ernestine Ashworth, contributing to a memorable and impactful production of "Birthday Candles."
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The play was directed by Vivienne Benesch
The play 'Birthday Candles' was directed by Vivienne Benesch, a Tisch School of the Arts graduate who has appeared in two Broadway shows. Benesch was interviewed by Ted Sod about her work on the play in anticipation of its 2020 production. In the interview, she mentions that she agreed to direct the play before she had read it because of her long history with playwright Noah Haidle. She first met Haidle during a production of his play 'Mr. Marmalade' at South Coast Rep in 2004.
Benesch has also directed and served on the faculty at Juilliard for nine years. She has held the position of producing artistic director at Playmakers Repertory Company. She oversaw a workshop during her tenure as artistic director of the Chautauqua Theater Company, where 'Birthday Candles' was developed as part of the New Play Workshop series in 2017. The play was commissioned by Detroit Public Theatre in 2016, and Benesch directed a Chautauqua production in 2017 before its debut in Detroit in 2018.
'Birthday Candles' premiered on Broadway at the American Airlines Theatre on April 10, 2022, after a two-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The play stars Debra Messing as Ernestine Ashworth, a woman who ages from 17 to 101 without any external signs of aging. Messing's character recreates the same birthday cake each year, and the play takes the audience through the highlights and heartbreaks of an ordinary woman's life.
Vivienne Benesch's direction of 'Birthday Candles' showcases her dedication to the performing arts and her long-standing collaboration with playwright Noah Haidle.
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It was performed at the Cameri Theater in Tel Aviv, Israel in November 2022
The play Birthday Candles by Noah Haidle was performed at the Cameri Theater in Tel Aviv, Israel, in November 2022. The play was translated into Hebrew for this performance.
Birthday Candles follows the story of Ernestine Ashworth, who spends her 17th birthday contemplating her insignificance in the universe. As the play progresses, we see Ashworth's 18th, 41st, 70th, and 101st birthdays, marked by her mother's golden butter cake. The play explores five generations and a lifetime of dreams, heartbreaks, and extraordinary moments that make up one woman's ordinary life.
The play was originally commissioned by the Detroit Public Theatre in 2016 and had its debut in Detroit in 2018. Vivienne Benesch, who also directed the 2022 Broadway production, oversaw a workshop during her time as artistic director of the Chautauqua Theater Company.
The Cameri Theater performance in Tel Aviv, Israel, in November 2022, was a significant milestone for the play, bringing the story of Ernestine Ashworth to a new audience and language. The play's exploration of universal themes and the human experience transcends cultural boundaries, making it relatable to audiences worldwide.
The production value and impact of Birthday Candles at the Cameri Theater cannot be overstated. The set design, lighting, and sound all contributed to a compelling and immersive theatrical experience. The actors' performances were exceptional, bringing the characters to life and captivating the audience with their emotional portrayals. The Hebrew translation preserved the essence of the original play while making it accessible to a new linguistic audience.
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Frequently asked questions
'Birthday Candles' first played at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway on April 10, 2022.
'Birthday Candles' was written by Noah Haidle.
Debra Messing starred in 'Birthday Candles' as Ernestine Ashworth. Crystal Finn and Susannah Flood also made their Broadway debuts in the play.
