# Mary Jane (play)

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. The play won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play in 2018. 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.

## Synopsis

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.

## Characters

The following are characters in the play:
* Mary Jane - a mother in her thirties
* Ruthie - a building superintendent
* Sherry - a nurse
* Brianne - a Facebook friend
* Amelia - Sherry's niece, a college student
* Dr. Toros - a pediatric intensivist
* Kat - a music therapist
* Chaya - a Hasidic Jewish woman
* Tenkei - a Buddhist nun

## Notable casts

| Character | Yale | Off-Broadway | Broadway |
| Character | 2017 | 2017 | 2024 |
| Mary Jane | Emily Donahoe | Carrie Coon | Rachel McAdams |
| Chaya / Brianne | Miriam Silverman | Susan Pourfar | Susan Pourfar |
| Ruthie / Tenkai | Kathleen Chalfant | Brenda Wehle | Brenda Wehle |
| Sherry / Dr. Toros | Shona Tucker | Liza Colón-Zayas | April Mathis |
| Amelia / Kat | Vella Lovell | Danaya Esperanza | Lily Santiago |

## Production history

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. The play was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, the oldest and largest prize awarded exclusively to women playwrights.
The play was next staged Off-Broadway by the New York Theatre Workshop from September 6 - October 29, 2017. For the title role of Mary Jane, Carrie Coon was nominated for the Drama Desk Award and received an Obie Award for her performance. The Off-Broadway production also received 7 Lucille Lortel nominations.
The play opened on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre as part of Manhattan Theatre Club's 2023–2024 season, again directed by Anne Kauffman. The production began previews on April 2, 2024 and officially opened on April 23, 2024. The production closed after a limited engagement run on June 30, 2024.

## Awards and nominations
### 2017 Off-Broadway debut

| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
| 2018 | Obie Award | Playwriting | Amy Herzog | Won |
| 2018 | Obie Award | Direction | Anne Kauffman | Won |
| 2018 | Obie Award | Actress | Carrie Coon | Won |
| 2018 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Play | Amy Herzog | Nominated |
| 2018 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Play | Carrie Coon | Nominated |
| 2018 | New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards | Best Play | Amy Herzog | Won |
| 2018 | Lucille Lortel Award | Outstanding Director | Anne Kauffman | Won |
| 2018 | Lucille Lortel Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play | Carrie Coon | Won |
| 2018 | Lucille Lortel Award | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play | Liza Colón-Zayas | Nominated |
| 2018 | Lucille Lortel Award | Outstanding Scenic Design | Laura Jellinek | Nominated |
| 2018 | Lucille Lortel Award | Outstanding Lighting Design | Japhy Weideman | Nominated |
| 2018 | Lucille Lortel Award | Outstanding Sound Design | Leah Gelpe | Won |

### 2024 Broadway

| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
| 2024 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Amy Herzog | Nominated |
| 2024 | Tony Awards | Best Actress in a Play | Rachel McAdams | Nominated |
| 2024 | Tony Awards | Best Direction of a Play | Anne Kauffman | Nominated |
| 2024 | Tony Awards | Best Sound Design of a Play | Leah Gelpe | Nominated |
| 2024 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play | Rachel McAdams | Nominated |
| 2024 | Drama League Award | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Nominated |
| 2024 | Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance | Rachel McAdams | Nominated |
| 2024 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Nominated |
| 2024 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play | Rachel McAdams | Nominated |
| 2024 | Theatre World Award | Theatre World Award | Rachel McAdams | Won |