Rachel McAdams Begins Her Debut Broadway Run in Amy Herzog's Mary Jane

Mary Jane, starring Rachel McAdams in her Broadway debut, begins performances at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on April 2, with an official opening set for April 23. The play is written by Amy Herzog, who also adapted this season’s An Enemy of the People, and directed by Anne Kaufman.

Captivating, affecting and compassionate, Mary Jane is the story of a single mother in an impossible family situation. Faced with seemingly insurmountable odds, Mary Jane relies on unflagging optimism and humor, along with the wisdom of the women around her who have become a makeshift family, to take on each new day. But will inner strength and newfound friendships be enough to see her through?

McAdams is joined on stage by April Matthis, Susan Pourfar, Lily Santiago and Brenda Wehle. The show features scenic design by Lael Jellinek, costumes by Brenda Abbandandolo, lighting design by Ben Stanton and sound design by Leah Gelpe.

McAdams recently spoke to The Broadway Show about bringing a familiar world to the stage. “I think people are gonna think a lot about this show," she said. "There’s a spareness to the play, but it’s so full.” (Note that McAdams is definitely not performing in the musical adaptation of The Notebook.)

Elsewhere, Herzog spoke with Broadway.com about both her plays this season. “There’s a lot of Henrik Ibsen to hide behind,” she said of An Enemy of the People. “Mary Jane—it’s me out there.”

Herzog developed Mary Jane at Yale, where it was first staged by Yale Repertory Theatre in 2017, also directed by Kauffman. It was staged off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop in 2017, starring Carrie Coon in an Obie Award-winning performance. The play won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play in 2018.