“Cult of Love may turn out to be one of the best and most astute plays of the season. Just try taking your attention away from the stage for a second.”
PlayOriginal
PLAYORIGINALCLOSED
Cult of Love
Helen Hayes Theater · Opened Dec 12, 2024 · Closed Feb 2, 2025 · Ran for 2 months
Critics' Take
Critics find Headland's dysfunctional family Christmas drama caustically funny and well-acted, though overstuffed with issues. The ensemble earns widespread praise, but the play's ambitious sprawl divides opinion on execution.
Critic Scorecard
30 reviewsSort:
“It’s also a wholly relatable theatrical experience, just in time for anyone feeling trepidation about attending familial holiday gatherings.”
“As dysfunctional family plays go, Cult of Love is richly rewarding and enormously entertaining, thanks to an exceptionally fine ensemble of actors, Headland's spot-on dialog, and Trip Cullman's brilliant direction that make this one stand out from others of this ilk.”
“At the heart of Cult of Love is a bleak acknowledgement of the current existential impasse in the fight for America’s soul.”
“For all the crackling sardonicism in Headland’s writing, her compassion is equally compelling, if not more so.”
Audience Scorecard
1.9K audience reviews
A-
Liking It
Awards Scorecard
2024-25 season22
Nominated
Outer Critics:3 noms
Box Office Scorecard
source · Broadway League, publicAll Time
Frequently Asked Questions
What do critics say about Cult of Love?
Critics find Headland's dysfunctional family Christmas drama caustically funny and well-acted, though overstuffed with issues. The ensemble earns widespread praise, but the play's ambitious sprawl divides opinion on execution. (CriticScore 74/100 from 30 reviews.)
Is Cult of Love worth seeing?
Probably, if the material interests you. Critics say Cult of Love is worth seeing (74/100 from 30 reviews) — it works best if the premise or cast appeals to you.
What is the CriticScore for Cult of Love?
Cult of Love has a CriticScore of 74/100 based on 30 professional reviews. This is rated "Worth Seeing".
Is Cult of Love still running on Broadway?
No, Cult of Love has closed. It played at Helen Hayes Theater and closed on February 2, 2025.
Theater Scorecard
Typical VenueOne of Broadway's smallest houses (597 seats) and one of its newest, built in 2015 as Second Stage's permanent home. The intimate scale means excellent sightlines from nearly every seat, though the modern design prioritizes function over grandeur.
Original Broadway Cast
- Molly BernardRachel DahlBroadway debut
- Roberta ColindrezPippa Ferguson
- Barbie FerreiraLoren MontgomeryBroadway debut
- Rebecca HendersonEvie DahlBroadway debut
- Christopher LowellJames BennettBroadway debut
- Zachary QuintoMark Dahl
- David RascheWilliam "Bill" Dahl
- Christopher SearsJohnny DahlBroadway debut
Creative Team
- Trip CullmanDirector
- Leslye HeadlandPlaywright
- Jacinth GreywoodeMusic Supervision
Quick Facts
- CriticScore
- 74/100 (30 reviews)
- Status
- Closed
- Opened
- Dec 12, 2024
- Closed
- Feb 2, 2025
- Run Length
- 2 months
- Runtime
- Synopsis
- In Leslye Headland's cuttingly hilarious family dramedy, four adult siblings and their partners return to their childhood home in Connecticut for Christmas Eve. As old conflicts resurface around sexuality, religion, addiction, and obligation, the Dahl family's harmonious traditions give way to discord. The final installment in Headland's Seven Deadly Plays cycle, exploring how the family unit can become a cult of its own.
- Data Last Updated
- September 13, 2026
