The Breakfast Reunion at Orlando Fringe Credit: Courtesy Photo

Twenty-five years after their infamous Saturday detention, fivee students of Shermer High are once again trapped inside the school library in The Breakfast Reunion, a fan-fiction sequel to the beloved Gen-X classic. Claire (Courtney Cunningham) is divorced with two kids, Brian (Sean Derbyshire) is a tech-bro billionaire, Andrew (Bradley Hubbell) is a bitter has-been, Allison (Kaitlin Elizabeth Derbyshire) is a child psychologist and Bender (Ryan Leyhue) is reformed after a stint in the Army. 

These paths are not necessarily out of left field, but they are played without any real nuance. None of the characters necessarily have an arc, and with the exception of Leyhue — who dominates the stage — I didn’t really recognize anyone on stage as faithful continuations of the beloved John Hughes characters. It is clear that writer David Strauss does care about the original source material, 1985’s The Breakfast Club, with fan service references and countless quips that echo the screenplay. But because director Patrick Kramer delivers stereotypical, one-note imitations of these characters, it just doesn’t feel like I’m watching the “criminal, princess, athlete, brain and basket case” all grown up.

The show ends with Allison pointing out how problematic the ’80s and the movie were. While these things are valid, it more feels like the author having a platform to spew hot takes, rather than what a more canonical Allison would say. I don’t think anyone is looking to The Breakfast Club as a pillar of morality, and we do not need to be told how blatantly problematic it is; that’s pretty obvious already. 

The show does conclude with a nice moment between Bender and Claire, and the story did keep me engaged. I also enjoyed a scene where the characters got high and loosened up (again!). It actually made for some more vulnerable dialogue, but went back to formula soon after. Unfortunately, this show did not have me leaving the theater triumphant with my fist in the air. The Breakfast Reunion might be saying “don’t you forget about me,” but it’s just not enough to remember.

Grinning Cat Theatre Co. (Orlando, FL)
Green Venue, Orlando Family Stage
55 minutes; ages 13 and up
Tickets: $15

Subscribe to Orlando Weekly newsletters.

Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Bluesky | Or sign up for our RSS Feed

This article appears in Orlando Fringe 2026.