Chicken & Biscuits
by Douglas Lyons

Name: Chicken & Biscuits
Brand: Douglas Lyons
SKU: 9780822242444
Rating: 3.88 (25 reviews)

Broadway Off-Broadway

Chicken & Biscuits Book Cover — Chicken & Biscuits Cover

Highlights

Female

Male

105 mins Present Day Role(s) for Black Actor(s) Unit Set/Multiple Settings Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes Comedy

Synopsis

Can sisters Baneatta and Beverly bury their father without killing each other?

In this celebration of Black joy, grief and healing, an extended family is brought back to St. Luke’s Church to inter their patriarch, Bernard Jenkins.

Family stressors abound as Beverly shows up to the chapel with her “blessings” on display, Baneatta’s son brings his neurotic Jewish boyfriend along and Beverly’s nosy daughter keeps asking questions no one wants to answer.

Meanwhile, Baneatta’s husband Reginald tries to keep the peace, but when a shocking family secret reveals itself at the pulpit, the two sisters are faced with a truth that could either heal or break them.

Told with warmth and delicacy, Chicken & Biscuits is a touching and often hilarious ode to the people in our lives we don’t choose.

Full of down-to-earth wisdom and laugh-out-loud family squabbles, Douglas Lyons’ work is a crowd-favorite, no matter what relationship you might have with your siblings.

Press Reviews

"Chicken & Biscuits is feel-good theatre... This warm-hearted play welcomes folks into its church with arms upraised."
— Exeunt NYC

"A brilliant script that’s fresh, relatable and laugh-out-loud funny…Chicken & Biscuits is more than just a church service, it is a much-needed therapy session, a portrait of Black joy, love and laughter. This play is both a Hallelujah and an A-men."
— Variety

"Chicken & Biscuits serves up roaring comedy. The play provides audiences with the blessed release of almost continual laughter"
— Broadway News

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
Reginald Mabry Baneatta’s faithful husband and the new pastor of their home church. He’s the peacemaker of the family. Reginald is a ball of love with a side of corny dad jokes. 50s, African American.	male	50s	Baneatta’s faithful husband and the new pastor of their home church. He’s the peacemaker of the family. Reginald is a ball of love with a side of corny dad jokes. 50s, African American.
Kenny Mabry Baneatta and Reginald’s youngest child. He’s proudly queer, but cowers in the presence of his mother. Kenny bites when he needs to, but at the end of the day he just wants to beloved. Mid to late 20s, African American.	female	20s	Baneatta and Reginald’s youngest child. He’s proudly queer, but cowers in the presence of his mother. Kenny bites when he needs to, but at the end of the day he just wants to beloved. Mid to late 20s, African American.
Logan Leibowitz Kenny’s neurotic and dramatic Jewish boyfriend of four years. He often spins himself into a tizzy, but always wants to be there for Kenny. Logan’s weed pen is his crutch for tough times. Mid to late 20s, white.	male	20s	Kenny’s neurotic and dramatic Jewish boyfriend of four years. He often spins himself into a tizzy, but always wants to be there for Kenny. Logan’s weed pen is his crutch for tough times. Mid to late 20s, white.
Beverly Jenkins Baneatta’s younger sister. The “fun aunt” who’s always in a push-up bra. But don’t mistake her vibrance for incompetence. She’s a savage, “classy,” not so boujee, but definitely ratchet when necessary. Early 40s to 50s, African American.	female	40s	Baneatta’s younger sister. The “fun aunt” who’s always in a push-up bra. But don’t mistake her vibrance for incompetence. She’s a savage, “classy,” not so boujee, but definitely ratchet when necessary. Early 40s to 50s, African American.
La’Trice Franklin Beverly’s daughter. She’s nosy, loud, and in everyone’s business but her own. When not on her phone, she shows love – but in her own Gen Z way. Sarcasm is her love language. 15, African American.	female	—	Beverly’s daughter. She’s nosy, loud, and in everyone’s business but her own. When not on her phone, she shows love – but in her own Gen Z way. Sarcasm is her love language. 15, African American.
Simone Mabry Kenny’s older sister and Baneatta’s favorite. She followed the “right path.” Though pulled, she can be shady. While fierce on the exterior, Simone is internally wounded from a recent failed engagement. 30s, African American.	female	30s	Kenny’s older sister and Baneatta’s favorite. She followed the “right path.” Though pulled, she can be shady. While fierce on the exterior, Simone is internally wounded from a recent failed engagement. 30s, African American.
Brianna Jenkins Baneatta and Beverly’s half sister through an affair. She didn’t know her father, but has come to his funeral to gather more details on him. She’s sweet, vulnerable, and collected. Early 40s to 50s, African American. Chicken & Biscuits works when eight vibrant personalities collectively create a family unit before our very eyes. The play lands best when the audience can feel the love that was created in the rehearsal room, so have fun! All gender identities should always be considered to be a part of the family.	female	40s	Baneatta and Beverly’s half sister through an affair. She didn’t know her father, but has come to his funeral to gather more details on him. She’s sweet, vulnerable, and collected. Early 40s to 50s, African American. Chicken & Biscuits works when eight vibrant personalities collectively create a family unit before our very eyes. The play lands best when the audience can feel the love that was created in the rehearsal room, so have fun! All gender identities should always be considered to be a part of the family.
Baneatta Mabry An upstanding and stern Christian woman. Mother to Kenny and Simone, and wife to Reginald. She’s overbearingly full of love, but quite uptight and stubborn in her religious ways. Late 40s to mid 50s, African American.	female	40s	An upstanding and stern Christian woman. Mother to Kenny and Simone, and wife to Reginald. She’s overbearingly full of love, but quite uptight and stubborn in her religious ways. Late 40s to mid 50s, African American.