Last December, I had the privilege of attending the Broadway show “I Need That” in New York City. The Connecticut chapter of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing, along with a friend from the New York Chapter, took a field trip to get Broadway’s take on organizing, decluttering, and what we really “need.” As a group of professional organizers, we were very eager to see how the issues of hoarding behavior, clutter, and organizing would be portrayed. Here’s what we found.
The cast and their characters were believable.
Professional organizing is a “people” business. We work with people every day, usually in very intimate and personal settings. We have the privilege of being “invited in,” and take that invitation seriously, ensuring privacy and confidentiality to all our clients. Based on my experience, these characters, created by the brilliant Theresa Rebek, are relatable, familiar, and real.
The lead character Sam is portrayed by Danny DeVito. He is a New Yorker who has lived in his current home for many years, including a few since the death of his wife. Sam is funny, honest, unguarded, and opinionated. Sam’s neighbor is a man named Foster, played by Ray Anthony Thomas. Foster is a longtime friend who comes to check on Sam, bringing food and conversation, while also encouraging him to deal with his mountains of belongings. Foster is down-to-earth, honest, and kind, treading the delicate line between voice of reason and unjudgmental companion. Lastly, Sam’s daughter Amelia is portrayed by Danny DeVito’s real-life daughter, Lucy DeVito. The parent/child chemistry between Sam and Amelia is on full display, as these two relate with ease and evident love. Amelia represents the voice of urgency and concern as she repeatedly shows up to pressure her dad to face the many piles and stacks of belongings that have made his living situation crowded and potentially unsafe.
The interplay between the three shows how emotional we can be when talking about our stuff. These characters clearly care deeply for each other, and yet they have differing views on how Sam should behave. This struck me as very realistic and common.
The stage set was perfect.
One of the most visceral aspects of the play is the stage set. Set designer Alexander Dodge creates a believable, and somewhat overwhelming, first floor of Sam’s home. You can get a “glimpse” of the set by watching this YouTube clip.
Sam’s home is not exactly a full-blown example of hoarding disorder, but he is definitely struggling with hoarding tendencies. There is safe walking space, and the kitchen seems clean enough so as to be healthy. At the same time, his home features tall stacks and towers of all kinds of belongings. The couch is so covered that Sam has to clear space when Foster comes over, so they have a place to sit and eat. Sam’s items include broken appliances, clothing, games, photographs, and any number of other common household items. Sam seems small in his home, as his accumulated possessions hover around and above him.
This type of living situation is quite real for many people. I often have clients joke about being hoarders, but having many things doesn’t make you a hoarder. In fact, hoarding disorder can be tracked along a continuum. If you or a loved one struggles, you can visit this resource to see where you fall.
There are multiple reasons why people end up with an overwhelming number of belongings, including everything from physical limitations to mental health disorders. The causes are not universal, and neither are the solutions. As my organizers’ group would tell you, anyone seeking to offer support to someone overwhelmed by a significant accumulation of “stuff” needs training to understand both the causes of the situation and how best to proceed.
The play accurately portrayed the complex relationship between people and our belongings.
The relationship between people and our belongings is the main topic of the play. As a professional organizer, I am well aware of how complex and emotionally laden this topic can be, and I felt the play beautifully revealed this truth. Sam has spent many years living in this home, and so many of his things carry a story, a memory, or an emotional significance. At one point in the play, Sam pulls out his old game of “Sorry,” and plays with himself, bringing back memories of his childhood.
The undercurrent of Sam’s now deceased wife also runs through his home and his stuff, with many reminders of her tucked into his belongings. The play makes the audience consider why we attach emotional significance to our things and why it can be hard to let go. Whether you have a lot or a little, you probably have some possessions that mean a lot to you, and the idea of living without them is sad or scary. We often worry that if we let go of an item, we will lose the memory of a person or experience.
Additionally, I resonated with how both Lucy and Foster are trying to care for Sam. Their approaches may be misfiring or even backfiring, but their loving intent is on full display. There is frustration as they encounter Sam’s resistance, which fuels their worry and anxiety about what will happen to him.
Humor helped navigate tough moments.
As you can imagine, a play starring Danny DeVito is going to be funny. The brilliance of this script is that it uses humor to help us navigate a potentially painful and depressing topic. The jokes are plentiful, peppered through every conversation. We laughed a lot, a wonderful release of the tension that the living situation presented.
I love that this play is a comedy. Humor offers us a wonderful mechanism for navigating difficult decisions. I often joke with my clients. Once, when I was suggesting we put one of my client’s items in a closet, she expressed concern about it being “too hard to find that far away.” I understood her hesitance. In her mind, having items “nearby” was a way to keep her from forgetting them. Unfortunately, she had too much piled “nearby,” and was forgetting anyway. My suggestion was to relocate what mattered less to a less prominent location to make room for what mattered most. To ease her evident discomfort with my suggestion, I pointed out that we weren’t moving the items to Florida, just to the closet three feet away. This elicited a laugh and broke the tension. Similarly, when I am working with clients in their homes, they will often ask my permission to put an item in a specific place or run and get a glass of water. I always respond, “Please, make yourself at home.” Another surefire way to get a smile while reminding the clients that I work for them and want them to be comfortable with everything we do.
There was a surprise ending.
I don’t want to be a spoiler, but I will say there were a couple of surprises at the end of the play. One was an unexpected revelation about Amelia, and the other was an impressive change to the set. This type of situation is too complex to wrap up neatly with a bow, but there was closure and a sense of a positive future.
When someone needs help, it is always too soon to give up hope. Solutions may seem beyond reach, and we can be tempted to despair. Nevertheless, life doesn’t always unfold as we fear or expect, and if we continue to show up with love and concern, we might be surprised by how things work out.
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“I Need That” had a limited run at the Roundabout Theater at the end of 2023, but I hope that it gets picked up and played around the country.
Would you see this play if it came to a theater near you?
I would love to see that play. I saw the leaders when it was first coming out and so wished that it would make a tour.
I’m still hoping for a tour. I know so many organizers would love to see it!
And “organizees,” too!
I never thought that they would make a play about hoarding/organizing, I would love to see it if/when it comes back. It is a real, struggle for many and I’m sure it was well written as a play without offending anyone.
Thanks for sharing this.
They really used humor, and it was so poignant to see Danny DeVito and his real life daughter playing a father and daughter. It was a treat, and I hope they take it on the road!
This sounds fantastic, especially with Danny DeVito in the lead! Thank you for sharing this with us.
It was a great show. Feel lucky that we got to go!
Absolutely! I wish I had been able to see it at the Roundabout Theatre. I can only imagine how great Danny DeVito was in this role. It sounds as if the subject of hoarding was dealt with respectfully even though it created tension. There is lots of information out there of ways in which to work with someone with hoarding tendencies. My best advice for anyone who has a friend or family member with hoarding tendencies is to remember that if they invite you into their space they are trusting you. Be respectful and ask about the things you see without judgement. If the person feels judged, embarrassed, or shamed by the you the visitor chances are you won’t be invited back.
Perfect advice, Diane. Everyone needs to read your comment and remember not to judge. That is a surefire way to kill trust.
What a great description you gave about “I Need That!” and all the emotional challenges intertwined with our things. I LOVED going to the play with your remarkable chapter and hanging out with you.
I was surprised at how emotional I got at specific points. The tears welled up as realities were faced and transformations happened. The set was extraordinary and so well done. It made me emotional when it was first revealed…a glimpse into our work and some of the challenges our clients have.
I couldn’t agree more. We were so happy to have you join us. I’ve actually thought of the show many times since we saw it. I also welled up a few times. Perhaps we, more than most, can relate to the depth of emotion this situation often stirs. It can be very rough. I appreciated the whole day so much!
Oh I’ve been wanting to see this since I first read about it! I may need to plan a quick trip to NYC sometime soon… I also love your examples of humor with clients. I remember talking with a client about the “butterflies” in her stomach (regarding getting started with our organizing project) and suggested to her, “They’re butterflies, right? Not cows or giraffes! We can handle butterflies.” Things moved much more smoothly after that. Great post, Seana!
Oh, I love that humorous response, Sara. That’s the kind of gift we can bring to a situation… release of the tension and assurance that we are on their side. I believe the NYC run has concluded, so keeping fingers crossed that it makes it way to other cities around the US!
This sounds wonderful! Thanks for sharing. I had never heard about this play, but I am a fan of Danny Devito.
It was a real treat to se him (and his real-life daughter) in person. As you might guess, they were amazing. 🙂
I’d see it in a New York minute! And I’m not even in New York.
I hope you get a chance to see it. Such a treat!
Wow, I’m impressed. I’ll admit, my first thought was that it might be a bit of a “busman’s holiday” to see a play about someone exhibiting the elements of a hoarding disorder. Too often, I’ve seen this get portrayed unrealistically in the media, both regarding what the individual experiences and how families (and even professional organizers) behave. However, the combination of Danny DeVito and your review makes me curious and desirous of seeing the play performed. While I’ll probably never make it to Broadway, I’ll look forward to seeing a performance someday, or at least reading the script. Thank you for sharing this with us!
I hope they take the show on the road and it comes near you! I think all of us really enjoyed it. 🙂
So fascinating that this is a play with this content. My thought is that this topic is so real and so vulnerable that it appeals to everyone on many levels. Thank you for sharing!
I thought they treated the whole topic with tenderness and humor. Many of our group shed a tear, and we certainly related to the conversations!
After reading your review I would go and see it. Usually I don’t watch shows that are about the work I do. Maybe it will make it to Toronto!
I hope it goes on the road. I think you would really enjoy it!
I LOVE that you went to see this. Pretty much perfect. I’m glad it was funny, because as you well know, hoarding can be quite depressing. I LOVE Danny DeVito and would love to be in the same room with him.
It was a great show. Definitely one of the “perks” of living so close to NYC! Danny DeVito was perfect for this role. 🙂
This post beautifully captures the essence of Broadway’s portrayal of organizing and decluttering.
Just like in a musical, our lives often need a rhythm and harmony, which can only be achieved by decluttering the unnecessary noise and chaos. It’s a reminder to focus on what truly matters.
Agreed! Always focus on what truly matters. 🙂
Wow, I would never have thought that there would be a Broadway play that would spark a field trip for organization experts 😉 And who doesn’t like Danny DeVito! Sounds really fun and interesting, and glad you had such a nice time in NYC. We’ll be there in May, do you know if this will still be running?
Sadly, I think the NYC run of the show has closed. Fortunately, there are always great shows to see, and so many things to do. Even a few new museums I think (a museum of Broadway?). Hope you have a wonderful visit!!
I would love to see this play. I hope it comes near me.
I hope it does too. It was definitely worth it. 🙂