Cost of living
It takes courage to let yourself be seen.
Winner of the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Cost of Living by Polish-American playwright Martyna Majok shatters stereotypes surrounding disability, exploring the deep human bonds of dependency, care, and need that touch every life.
Written with sharp wit and profound humanity, the play uses two parallel stories to explore dignity, privilege, solitude, and the emotional cost of living.
Unemployed truck driver Eddie reconnects with his ex-wife Ani after an accident leaves her quadriplegic. Meanwhile, John, a brilliant graduate student with cerebral palsy, hires Jess, a young woman struggling with her own vulnerabilities. Bound by care and mutual dependence, both pairs navigate the tension between independence and the need for connection.
Under Raphael Tobia Vogel’s precise direction, four extraordinary actors deliver a deeply moving portrait of human contradiction—challenging how we see others, and ourselves.
_
Raphael Tobia Vogel is an Italian theater and film director celebrated for his sleek, emotionally resonant, and visually precise staging. Transitioning from film direction alongside masters like Pupi Avati and Gabriele Salvatores, he has emerged as a major voice at Milan’s Teatro Franco Parenti, championing acclaimed contemporary drama and exploring complex human connections.
_
By Martyna Majok
Italian Translation Matteo Colombo
Directed by Raphael Tobia Vogel
Cast (in alphabetical order) Sara Bertelà, Filippo Lai, Pietro Micci, Martina Sammarco
Set Design Margherita Palli
Lighting Design Oscar Frosio
Costume Design Ilaria Ariemme
Produced by Teatro Franco Parenti
Represented by arrangement with Arcadia & Ricono Ltd, courtesy of CAA (Creative Artists Agency)
World premiere produced in July 2016 by The Williamstown Theatre
Festival Mandy Greenfield, Artistic Director, Michael Sag, General Manager.
Produced in New York City by the Manhattan Theatre Club
Lynn Meadow, Artistic Director, Barry Grove, Executive Producer on June 7th, 2017.
