The Honor and Glory of Whaling

La MaMa e.t.c., in association with The Forty Hour Club, presents the world premiere of The Honor and Glory of Whaling, written by La MaMa resident playwright Michael Gorman.

The Honor and Glory of Whaling is the second play in a trilogy of plays that deal with the issue of addiction and recovery in the commercial fishing industry, inspired by the death of the playwright’s oldest brother, a commercial fisherman, to a heroin overdose. The Honor and Glory of Whaling is an epic tale that follows the fate of legendary New England fishing captain Robby Foerster and his boat "The Northern Star". In a community sorely in need of something to be proud of, stories of his reckless courage are a source of pride. After a fatal first encounter with heroin, the "Great White Whale" of the modern fishing community, Robby falls deeply into addiction. The Honor and Glory of Whaling explores the role of myth and storytelling as both sustaining and destructive forces in a Northeast coastal fishing community, engaging the audience in a dramatic critical debate as to what extent tragedy, held to be inherent in the fishing community, might be avoidable.

The play will be preceded by a 20-minute documentary film which captures the experience of producing and performing Michael Gorman’s first play of the trilogy, UltraLight. Playwright Israel Horovitz will take part in the opening night panel discussion on Fri. Dec. 28. Post-show Q&A’s will follow select performances featuring members from the recovery, addiction, theater and law enforcement communities.