Small Town, Big Secrets

Someone is missing from Big Cherry’s city council, and getting a straight answer is proving harder than getting through the agenda.

Welcome to The Minutes, Tracy Letts’ darkly comic play about a small town with an unusually large investment in keeping its story straight. Coachella Valley Repertory opens its 2026–2027 season with the production Oct. 28 through Nov. 15 in Cathedral City, directed by Executive Artistic Director Adam Karsten. Discounted previews are scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 28, with opening night Thursday, Oct. 29.

The setting could hardly seem more ordinary: a council meeting in the fictional town of Big Cherry, where procedural business and petty grievances occupy the people entrusted with governing. But when newcomer Mr. Peel returns after missing a meeting, he discovers that another council member is gone—and the minutes that might explain what happened are proving surprisingly difficult to obtain.

For anyone who has watched a public meeting wander into an argument over something seemingly insignificant, the setup offers familiar comic territory. Letts, however, has considerably more unsettling business on the agenda. As questions multiply, the town’s cherished history begins to look less like an agreed-upon record and more like a story its leaders have reasons to protect.

“Blending sharp comedy with mystery and social commentary, THE MINUTES explores the ways communities construct their own histories, how power protects itself, and what can happen when an individual challenges the official story,” Karsten said in CVRep’s announcement. “The play ultimately asks who gets to decide what is remembered—and what is erased.”

That gives the production a reach beyond its fictional municipal boundaries. Beneath the bickering are questions about belonging, civic pride and the price of challenging a comfortable account of the past. Audiences can follow the mystery without needing a crash course in government, although an appreciation for bureaucratic absurdity certainly won’t hurt.

Letts brings formidable credentials to this council chamber. His August: Osage County won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play. The Minutes premiered at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company in 2017, became a Pulitzer finalist in 2018 and opened on Broadway in April 2022, earning a Best Play Tony nomination.

He is also a familiar face beyond the playwright’s desk. Moviegoers may recognize him from Lady Bird, Little Women and Ford v Ferrari, in which he portrayed Henry Ford II. Onstage, he won a Tony for playing George in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?—another character who knows how to make a gathering uncomfortable.

Karsten’s CVRep directing credits include Fun Home, The Humans, Once, Cabaret, Next to Normal, Dear Evan Hansen and Guys and Dolls. His background also includes directing and producing for Live From Lincoln Center and PBS, along with theatrical work Off-Broadway, regionally and on touring productions.

For The Minutes, Torsten Johnson plays the questioning Mr. Peel opposite Kevin Symons as Mayor Superba. Angela Landis portrays Ms. Johnson, and Calvin Adams plays Mr. Carp. The ensemble also includes Charles Everett as Mr. Blake, Craig Wroe as Mr. Hanratty, Randy Brenner as Mr. Breeding, Thomas Flynn as Mr. Assalone, Linda Slade as Ms. Innes, Margery Lowe as Ms. Matz and Howard Shangraw as Mr. Oldfield.

Behind the scenes, Jimmy Cuomo designs the set, Barbara Matis the costumes and Lynda Shaeps the wigs and makeup. Ryan Marquant handles props, Moira Wilkie Whitaker serves as lighting designer and technical director, and Joshua Adams designs sound. John M. Galo is stage manager, assisted by Melina Ginn.

For theatergoers who enjoy discussing what they have just seen, free post-performance talkbacks are scheduled for Thursdays, Nov. 5 and Nov. 12, with members of the cast and creative team. An American Sign Language–interpreted performance is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 13.

Single tickets start at $55, including fees. Performances are Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2 and 7 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. The theater is at 68510 E. Palm Canyon Drive in Cathedral City. Tickets are available at [cvrep.org](https://cvrep.org) or by calling 760-296-2966, ext. 101. Patrons needing accessibility assistance should contact the box office when booking.

Big Cherry may be reluctant to answer questions. After this meeting, audiences should have plenty.