Trophy Boys: Razor-Sharp Satire at MCC Theater
Camryn Manheim praises Trophy Boys for its witty take on privilege, power and masculinity.
Image: Instagram
Camryn Manheim has built her career on telling stories that challenge expectations. In a recent Instagram post, the two-time Emmy winner turned her spotlight to the theater, offering high praise for MCC Theater’s new production, Trophy Boys. Manheim wrote that the play “lingers with you long after the curtain falls,” applauding its ability to make audiences laugh, wince, and think all at once.
A Pressure-cooker Of Privilege
Set in the storied halls of an elite all-boys prep school, Trophy Boys plunges us into a debate team’s final match. With just one hour to prepare for a deeply controversial topic, the students wrestle with satire that quickly becomes a razor-sharp examination of power, privilege, and the performance of masculinity. “You can feel the tension in the audience before a word is spoken,” Manheim noted.
Humor With Bite
Despite its intellectually thrilling premise, the play remains hilarious—but never at the expense of depth. “The humor makes you wince, then laugh, then think,” she wrote. Just when the team seems poised to deliver clever repartee, a rumor surfaces, threatening to unravel years of hard-won status and camaraderie.
Standout Performances
Manheim highlighted rising talents Esco Jouley (Dying for Sex, Wolf Play) and Terry Hu (Zombies, Never Have I Ever), and added Emmanuelle Mattana and Louisa Jacobson to her must-watch list. She praised the entire ensemble as “ridiculously talented,” capturing every beat of fear and bravado in the debate room.
Direction By Danya Taymor
Director Danya Taymor (John Proctor Is the Villain; The Outsiders) received special mention. Manheim credited Taymor with finding “the humor in the darkest moments and the heartbreak in the funniest ones,” underlining why she’s considered one of today’s most gifted theater directors.
Manheim’s post included backstage snapshots from her @camrynmanheim feed, giving followers a behind-the-scenes look at the cast preparing in full prep-school regalia. The images, tagged @trophy.boys and @mcctheater, underscore the production’s meticulous attention to period detail.
Long before turning her lens to Trophy Boys, Manheim used Instagram to champion bold narratives. In an earlier post celebrating the 4K restoration of Todd Solondz’s film Happiness, she reunited with Lara Flynn Boyle at the Egyptian Theatre for #BleakWeek, praising the movie’s masterful performances.
Across TV, film, and now theater, Manheim’s endorsements carry weight. Her latest review positions Trophy Boys not just as a play, but as a conversation starter about how society socializes boys—and the ways those lessons ripple beyond the stage.
Trophy Boys runs at MCC Theater through the summer season. Whether you’re a debate team alum or new to live theater, it promises to challenge as much as it entertains, leaving plenty to unpack once the lights go down.
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