The McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton is opening its season with a play about feminist icon Gloria Steinem.

Titled Gloria: A Life, it was written by the theatre’s longtime resident playwright, Emily Mann, who says Steinem asked her to write “the story of the women’s movement through her life.”

Two-time Academy Award nominee, Mary McDonnell, will play the title role.

“All through the ’80s, she was the leading lady for all my plays; I just fell in love with her as an artist,” Mann says.

The all-female ensemble cast portray the women who influenced Steinem throughout her life.

They are multiracial and multi-generational, women like Wilma Mankiller, the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation and one of her best friends.

The show will be staged in the center’s Berlind Theatre. The first act provides insight into Steinem’s personal evolution, using music and video clips from the beginning of the movement through present time.

The second act is an interactive talking circle with the audience participating.

“We are transforming the Berlind into a theater-in-the-round,” Mann explains. “You’re asked to respond how her story resonates with your story.”

It is a motivating experience in which, “people start to look at how they want to affect change,” Mann says.

Mann is heading into her final season at the McCarter Theatre Center. She says throughout her 30-year career she wanted to give a voice to the voiceless.

“It’s been a huge mission of mine,” she says. “And one I feel we accomplished quite beautifully.”

Of this particular work, she says, “I think it’s really, really important for us to be telling this story.”

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I added to the gallery a few clippings of magazines from different years, among which, one promotional ad for Mary’s upcoming play Gloria: A Life. Take a look and enjoy!

Tuesday, August 27, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

McCarter Theatre Center’s Artistic Director and Resident Playwright Emily Mann will be joined in conversation by stage, film, and television actor Mary McDonnell who plays the role of Gloria Steinem in McCarter’s upcoming production of “Gloria: A Life,”written and restaged by Mann. The two will speak about their decades-long friendship and artistic reunion on “Gloria: A Life.”  Mann will discuss how she came to adapt Steinem’s life for the theater, their resulting friendship, and the choices she made to shape and tell Steinem’s story. McDonnell (“Execution of Justice,” “Dances with Wolves,” “Passion Fish,” “Major Crimes,” “Battlestar Galactica”) will talk about her celebrated career as a performer, what drew her to this project, and her approach to playing Steinem. A Q&A with the audience will follow the discussion. Community Room

Co-sponsored by the library and McCarter Theatre Center.

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As many of you already know, Hulu dropped the episodes of season 4 of Veronica Mars one week earlier. Mary’s scenes aren’t really spoilering anything just by watching but watch at your own will.

Veronica and Keith follow a new lead, and discover another victim. Matty follows her own instincts, landing herself dangerously close to a killer. Veronica has a tragic epiphany as the clock is ticking.

Emily Mann’s play, seen Off-Broadway last season, will begin performances at the McCarter Theatre Center in September.

Two-time Oscar nominee Mary McDonnell (Dances With Wolves, Passion Fish) will star as Gloria Steinem in the McCarter Theatre Center production of Gloria: A Life, which will begin previews September 6 in Princeton, New Jersey.

Playwright Emily Mann, who is also the McCarter’s artistic director, will direct the production based on the recent Off-Broadway production that was helmed by Tony winner Diane Paulus. Performances will continue through October 6. An official opening night has been set for September 14.

Gloria: A Life premiered Off-Broadway last fall with Christine Lahti portraying Steinem. The work played an extended run through March at the Daryl Roth Theatre.

McDonnell will be joined by Gabrielle Beckford, Mierka Gierten, Sera-Lys McArthur, Patrena Murray, Brenda Withers, and Eunice Wong.

The creative team includes scenic designer Amy Rubin, costume designer Jessica Jahn, sound designers Robert Kaplowitz and Andrea Allmond, projection designer Elaine J. McCarthy, and lighting designer Jason Lyons. Casting is by Tara Rubin, CSA.

Check this and more articles regarding this play in our press library.

A few albums from different events have been updated with additional images of Mary McDonnell. Take a look and enjoy!

The announcement is finally in: Mary McDonnell will be playing Gloria Steinem in theatre this fall in “Gloria: A Life” a production by Emily Mann.
Mary made the announcement herself in her instastories and at the theatre official website you can find already a few info, check it out!

She is doing it again, this time in Dortmund for the winter. December 7-8, 2019 meet Mary McDonnell at GermanComicCon Dortmund.