FDR's Very Happy Hour Storytelling (r)Evolution Lab Workshop

Franklin Delano Roosevelt hosted a cocktail hour nearly every day at the White House, welcoming folks from different backgrounds to sip martinis, laugh, and connect. Inspired by FDR’s love of stirring up drinks and lively conversation to unwind in challenging times, this immersive new play mixes humor and history to build on this tradition for our era, asking how the 32nd President’s triumphs and failures might illuminate our own civic health. As FDR invites us to ponder life, a complicated legacy, and the pursuit of community, strangers become friends—and perhaps, together, we can find ways to talk with our neighbors again.  

This project prioritizes exploring the creation of an accessible experience for the fullest human spectrum possible. Captioning, ASL Interpretation, and design of the physical space for wheelchair access are part of the show. (FDR used a wheelchair, after all.) If you have specific access needs, please let us know in the access section at checkout.

Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Storytelling (r)Evolution Lab is a space of artistic experimentation, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and new play development. The Lab uplifts work that reflects the wonder and complexity of our time, with a focus on nurturing creative exploration through resources that include workshop rehearsals, artist residencies, Lab productions, and more. FDR’s Very Happy Hour will receive support through a two-week workshop culminating in several work-in-progress sharings, where audiences will be invited into the process to experience this new play in development. Be part of this exciting journey—reserve your spot today and join us as we explore the future of storytelling!