Thunder & Potatoes

A Tribute to the American Folk Tradition
by Barry Kornhauser

Thunder & Potatoes is a rip-roaring, highly interactive, hands-on celebration of American folklore, where audience members gather to swap stories, sing songs, invent bodacious boasts, join a jug band, partake in a non-pie pie-eating contest, and a whole lot more. With live music, jokes, jests, a barrelful of ballyhoo, and just a touch of thought-provoking moments, this playful show brings the heart and humor of yesteryear to life—loud, proud, and full of folksy fun.

Regular price $12.00

Quick Details

  • Type: Play
  • Length: 45 minutes | Can be cut for competition
  • Availability: Available for productions worldwide
  • Cast Size: 3 actors (1 male, 2 females- one must be African-American) + 1 musician | Can be expanded for a larger cast

Full Details

Roles:

  • Actress 1
  • Actor 2
  • Actress 3 (must be African American)
  • Stage Manager/Musician

The following resources are included in each performance license:
  • Permission to photocopy the PDF script for your production so there is no additional cost for these assets.

The following resources may be added to you license for an additional fee:
  • Logo/Media package

Barry Kornhauser

Barry Kornhauser's theatre honors include the Children's Theatre Foundation of America's Orlin Corey Medallion, the American Alliance for Theatre & Education (AATE) Charlotte Chorpenning Cup, Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Play (Cyrano), Ivey Playwriting Award (Reeling), Bonderman Playwriting Prize (Worlds Apart), South Africa National Theatre Festival’s Fringe Ovation Award (Balloonacy), and three AATE Distinguished Play Awards (- This Is Not A Pipe DreamBalloonacy, Corduroy). Closer to home, Barry was named Artist of the Year at the 2017 Pennsylvania Governor's Awards, and his youth theatre program for teens living with disabilities and other life challenges was honored at the White House as one of the nation's top arts-education initiatives. Barry's plays have been commissioned and produced by such Tony Award-winning stages as the Children's Theatre Company, La Jolla Playhouse, Alliance Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Denver Center Theatre Company, and the Shakespeare Theatre, as well as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Other venues include Childsplay, Children's Theatre of Charlotte, Dallas Children's Theatre, Discovery Theatre at the Smithsonian, Emerald City, Honolulu Theatre for Youth, the Rose, and Seattle Children's Theatre; festivals from New York to California -including New Visions/New Voices (Power Play); and internationally as far afield as Australia and Myanmar, and including at the National Children’s Theatre of South Africa. Over the years, Barry has conducted theatre residencies everywhere from a one-room Amish schoolhouse to universities across the county. He has received grants and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, TYA/USA, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, MetLife Foundation, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour. Currently, Barry works for the Millersville University Office of Visual & Performing Arts. Prior to this, he served over 30 years as Playwright-In-Residence, TYA Director, and sundry other positions at the National Historic Landmark Fulton Theatre.

First commissioned and produced by Fulton Theatre with further tour with Smithsonian Discovery Theatre

Reviews

A celebration! A rollicking reminder of the American spirit... Reminds you that there's nothing quite as delightful as a good, old-fashioned, hearty laugh.

- New Era

There's plenty of corn and plenty of Kornhauser in 'Thunder and Potatoes.' That alone is good news for everyone.

- Lancaster Sunday News