"Set in rural western Massachusetts, Scarcity tells the tale of two siblings [Meredith Brandt and Jesse Eisenberg] whose aspirations to escape the confines of poverty and small town life come into direct conflict with their sense of family responsibility," according to Atlantic notes. "When 16-year-old Billy [Eisenberg] is afforded an opportunity to change schools and move out of town by an unusually attentive young teacher, his family [parents Kristen Johnston and Michael T. Weiss] starts to unravel around him. This raw, emotionally rich world premiere new drama from playwright Lucy Thurber explores the stark reality of how class in America shapes our very image of ourselves." Without giving too much away, Thurber told Playbill.com, "Scarcity is about the pull between the loyalty you feel for your family and the loyalty you feel towards your own personal dreams."

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At left (from top): Kristen Johnston; Jesse Eisenberg and Maggie Kiley; Michael T. Weiss; playwright Lucy Thurber and director Jackson Gay; Miriam Shor; Todd Weeks; Sandra Coudert and Norm Lewis; Neil Pepe and Mary McCann; and Kristen Johnston, celebrated her birthday at the opening-night party.

Below: Kristen Johnston, Meredith Brandt, David Rakoff and Michael Mayer at the opening-night party for Scarcity.

photos by Arubery Reuben