Public Theater of San Antonio's latest production captures the congenial chaos of Thanksgiving

Many of us are familiar with the disarray of Thanksgiving Day: the bickering, the in-laws, the clamoring in the kitchen to make sure the turkey doesn't get overcooked and — somehow, through it all — the enduring sense of togetherness.

A Beautiful Day In November on the Banks of the Greatest of the Great Lakes documents this companionable chaos in the form of a comedy following the antics of the Wembly family.

The miles-long title isn't the only offbeat thing about this production. Despite its seemingly mundane premise, the show is characterized by avant-garde elements, like a commentators' booth where two announcers call the Wembly Thanksgiving dinner as if it were a sporting event.

A Beautiful Day In November has been praised for its original, subversive and authentic portrayal of the family dynamics often associated with one of America's most dreaded — yet cherished — holidays.

$15-$45, 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday Oct. 14-Nov. 6, The Public Theater of San Antonio, 800 W. Ashby Place, (210) 733-7258, thepublicsa.org.

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