Mother Play – A Play in Five Evictions is a dramatic stage play written by American playwright Paula Vogel. The play debuted on Broadway at the Hayes Theater on April 25, 2024, as part of Second Stage Theater's 2023–2024 season starring Jessica Lange, Celia Keenan-Bolger, and Jim Parsons.
Synopsis Phyllis, a hardheaded matriarch, attempts to guide the direction of her children's lives as they move into a new apartment in Washington, D.C.
Cast and characters CharacterBroadway 2024PhyllisJessica LangeCarlJim ParsonsMarthaCelia Keenan-Bolger
Production history The play was announced in 2023 to make its world debut as part of Second Stage Theater's 2023–2024 Broadway season, directed by Tina Landau. Previews were held from April 3, 2024, and the play officially opened on April 25, 2024. With a limited run, the play closed on June 16, 2024. The set was designed by David Zinn and costumes by Toni-Leslie James.
The Melbourne Theatre Company staged the play's Australian premiere in June 2025, with Sigrid Thornton as Phyllis, Yael Stone as Martha, and Ash Flanders as Carl, directed by Lee Lewis."Theatre review: Mother Play, Southbank Theatre, The Sumner" by Thuy On, Arts Hub, July 6, 2025
The Shakespeare & Company will feature Mother Play from August 29, 2025 until October 5, 2025 at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre in Lenox, Massachusetts.
The Studio Theatre https://www.studiotheatre.org/ in Washington, DC staged The Mother Play from November 12, 2025 through January 4, 2026. It was directed by Margot Bordelon and featured Stanley Bahorek <https://www.stanleybahorek.com/> as Carl, Kate Eastwood Norris as Phyllis, and Zoe Mann as Martha. <https://www.studiotheatre.org/plays/play-detail/2025-2026/mother-play
Accolades 2024 Broadway debut Year Award Category Nominee ResultRef. Tony Awards Best Play Paula Vogel Best Actress in a Play Jessica Lange Best Featured Actor in a Play Jim Parsons Best Featured Actress in a Play Celia Keenan-Bolger Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Play Mother Play "Stereophonic Leads 2024 Drama Desk Awards With 7 Wins Including Outstanding Play" by Logan Culwell-Block, Paybill, June 10, 2024 Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play Jessica Lange Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play Celia Keenan-Bolger Drama League Award Outstanding Production of a Play Mother Play Distinguished Performance Jessica Lange Jim Parsons Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding New Broadway Play Paula Vogel Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Play Jessica Lange Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play Celia Keenan-Bolger Jim Parsons
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