The Heiress, Starring Jessica Chastain & Dan Stevens, Moves Up Broadway Start Date

The Broadway revival of The Heiress, starring Academy Award nominee Jessica Chastain and Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens, will now begin performances October 6, one day earlier than originally planned. Opening night is scheduled for November 1. Directed by Moises Kaufman, the production will play a limited engagement through February 10, 2013.

Based on Henry James’ novel Washington Square, The Heiress is the story of Catherine Sloper (Chastain), a wealthy but plain-looking woman who falls in love with Morris Townsend (Stevens), a handsome suitor. Catherine’s stern father (Davis Strathairn), however, suspects the suitor is only after the family’s money. In addition to Chastain, Stevens and Strathairn, The Heiress stars two-time Tony winner Judith Ivey and features Virginia Kull, Kieran Campion, Dee Nelson, Molly Camp and Caitlin O’Connell.

Written by Ruth and Augustus Goetz, The Heiress originally opened on Broadway on September 29, 1947, starring Wendy Hiller, Peter Cookson and Basil Rathbone. The play was most recently revived in 1995, starring Jon Tenney, Philip Bosco and Cherry Jones, who earned a Tony Award for her performance.