Photo credit: Mary-Louise Parker, Audra McDonald and Meryl Streep (Photos courtesy of IBDB and Rex/Shutterstock)

Mary-Louise Parker, Audra McDonald and Meryl Streep join ‘Spotlight on Plays’ spring series

The series includes six award-winning actresses.

Sophie Thomas
Sophie Thomas

Additional casting for the upcoming Spotlight on Plays series has been named, with the likes of Meryl Streep and Audra McDonald taking part. They join Heidi Schreck and Phylicia Rashad taking part in the season, commencing tomorrow, March 25.

Ellen Burstyn and Carla Gugino star in Lillian Hellman's Watch on the Rhine, a World War Two inspired drama. Set in Hitler's Germany, an American family realize the consequences of Nazism spreading worldwide. Sarna Lapine directs the critically-acclaimed play, originally staged in 1941.

The six-time Tony Award-winning actress Audra McDonald plays Suzanne Alexander in Ohio State Murders. Adrienne Kennedy's play explores racism in the United States, focusing on an African American writer who discusses violence in her work. Kenny Leon will direct, ahead of his Broadway return with Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death.

Kate Whoriskey will direct Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline in Sarah Ruhl's Dear Elizabeth, inspired by letters between poets Robert Lowell and Elizabeth Bishop. As they continue communicating, their desire to be with each other grows, but so does the turmoil.

Mary-Louise Parker plays Anna in Paula Vogel's award-winning play The Baltimore Waltz. Lileana Blaiz- Cruz will direct the semi-autobiographical work, centered on a brother and sister supposedly on vacation to Europe, but they're actually in a hospital room.

Wendy Wasserstein's The Sisters Rosensweig concludes the series, directed by Anna D. Shapiro and starring Kathryn Hahn. She'll play Gorgeous Teitelbaum, one of three sisters who reunite after a lengthy separation.

Previously announced plays include Heidi Schreck and Keanu Reeves in Larissa FastHorse's The Thanksgiving Play and sisters Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad in Angry Raucuous and Shamelessly Gorgeous by Pearl Cleage.

The Spotlight on Plays series begins March 25.

Photo credit: Mary-Louise Parker, Audra McDonald and Meryl Streep (Photos courtesy of IBDB and Rex/Shutterstock)

Originally published on

Subscribe to our newsletter to unlock exclusive New York theatre updates!

Special offers, reviews and release dates for the best shows in town.

You can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy