Mercedes Ruehl and Lily Rabe Join Richard Greenberg’s The American Plan at MTC

Mercedes Ruehl and Lily Rabe are set to appear in the upcoming Broadway premiere of Richard Greenberg’s The American Plan. The limited-engagement begins previews at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on January 2 with opening night scheduled for January 22, directed by David Grindley. Additional casting will be announced in the coming weeks.

First published in 1991, The American Plan involves a mother and daughter, who spend a summer together in the Catskill Mountains in the early 1960s, across the lake from a bustling hotel where comics entertain and buffets overflow. When a handsome young stranger enters their world, the emotionally fragile daughter finds herself falling in love. But once her imperious mother learns of their relationship, lies are exposed, alliances are forged and Lily's one chance to escape her mother's control may be lost forever.

The new production marks Ruehl’s first appearance on Broadway since her acclaimed performance in 2002’s The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?, for which she received a Tonyâ nomination. She was most recently seen Off-Broadway in the critically lauded production of Edward Albee’s The Occupant. In 1991, Ruehl received an Oscar and a Golden Globe Award for her work in Terry Gilliam’s The Fisher King. That same year, she received a Tony and a Drama Desk Award for her appearance in Neil Simon’s Lost in Yonkers.

Lily Rabe returns to Broadway in The American Plan following her acclaimed turn last season in Heartbreak House, for which she received an Outer Critics Circle nomination. She made her Broadway debut in 2005 in the revival of Steel Magnolias, receiving a Drama Desk Award nomination.

The creative team for The American Plan will include: Jonathan Fensom Scenic & Costume Design, Mark McCullough Lighting Design, and Darron L West and Bray Poor Sound Design.