| Mary Jane | |
| Setting: | New York City, Present Day |
| Premiere: | April 28, 2017 |
| Orig Lang: | English |
| Subject: | Contemporary |
| Genre: | Drama |
Mary Jane is a two-act dramatic stage play written by American playwright Amy Herzog. The play had its World Premiere at Yale Repertory Theatre in 2017 and officially premiered on Broadway on April 23, 2024. The Broadway cast is led by Rachel McAdams in the titular role.[1] The play won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play in 2018.[2] The play is semi-autobiographical and based on Herzog's daughter Frances, who was born with nemaline myopathy and died at age 11 in 2023.[3] [4]
As Mary Jane navigates both the mundane and the unfathomable realities of caring for Alex, her chronically ill young son, she finds herself building a community of women from many walks of life.
The following are characters in the play:[5]
| Character | Yale | Off-Broadway | Broadway | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2024 | |||
| Mary Jane | Emily Donahoe | Carrie Coon | Rachel McAdams | |
| Chaya / Brianne | Miriam Silverman | Susan Pourfar | ||
| Ruthie / Tenkai | Kathleen Chalfant | Brenda Wehle | ||
| Sherry / Dr. Toros | Shona Tucker | Liza Colón-Zayas | April Mathis | |
| Amelia / Kat | Vella Lovell | Danaya Esperanza | Lily Santiago | |
The play was first staged by Yale Repertory Theatre from April 28-May 20, 2017, directed by Anne Kauffman. The play was commissioned through Yale's Binger Center for New Theatre. The play was the recipient of the 2016 Edgerton Foundation New Play Award and was also awarded a grant through the Laurents/Hatcher Foundation. It was the second play Herzog had developed at Yale, the first being Belleville.[6] The play was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, the oldest and largest prize awarded exclusively to women playwrights.[7]
The play was next staged Off-Broadway by the New York Theatre Workshop from September 6 - October 29, 2017.[8] For the title role of Mary Jane, Carrie Coon was nominated for the Drama Desk Award[9] and received an Obie Award for her performance.[10] The Off-Broadway production also received 7 Lucille Lortel nominations.[11]
The play opened on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre as part of Manhattan Theatre Club's 2023–2024 season. Previews began April 2 and the show officially opened on April 23, 2024, with a closing date set for June 30, 2024. The Broadway production is directed by Anne Kauffman.[12]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | class=unsortable | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playwriting | [13] | |||||
| Direction | ||||||
| Actress | ||||||
| Outstanding Play | ||||||
| Outstanding Actress in a Play | Carrie Coon | |||||
| Best Play | Amy Herzog | |||||
| Outstanding Director | Anne Kauffman | |||||
| Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play | Carrie Coon | |||||
| Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play | ||||||
| Outstanding Scenic Design | ||||||
| Outstanding Lighting Design | Japhy Weideman | |||||
| Outstanding Sound Design | Leah Gelpe | |||||
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | class=unsortable | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [14] | ||||||
| Leah Gelpe | ||||||
| Drama Desk Award | [15] | |||||
| Outstanding Revival of a Play | [16] | |||||
| Distinguished Performance | Rachel McAdams | |||||
| Outstanding Revival of a Play | [17] | |||||
| Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play | Rachel McAdams | |||||
| Rachel McAdams | [18] | |||||