A. R. Gurney's The Dining Room is a two-act play consisting of eighteen overlapping and unrelated vignettes, all staged in one elegant dining room at different time periods. In what has been described as "a seamless collection of moments," the show presents a spectrum of glimpses into the human condition: the joys, sorrows, love and comedy that accompany family life. The play's 57 characters are portrayed by just six actors.