​Catherine Curtin and Marcia Cross to Join PEN PALS Off-Broadway

The Off-Broadway play Pen Pals at the DR2 Theatre with its moving portrayal of enduring friendship—and this fall, the production welcomes acclaimed actresses Catherine Curtin (Orange Is the New Black, Stranger Things) and Marcia Cross (Desperate Housewives, Melrose Place) to the rotating cast.

The rotating casting has become one of Pen Pals’ most celebrated features, allowing each new pair of actresses to bring fresh emotional resonance and chemistry to the beloved story of two women whose lifelong friendship unfolds entirely through letters.

With its extension into 2026, Pen Pals has welcomed a remarkable roster of women to its stage—including Montego Glover, Melissa Gilbert, Veanne Cox, Mercedes Ruehl, Randy Graff, and Beth Leavel—each adding new texture and discovery to this heartfelt story.

Inspired by a true story, Pen Pals invites audiences into the lives of Bernie and Mags—two women whose bond, forged in adolescence, endures for decades despite never meeting in person. Told through five decades of letters, it’s a touching and humorous reminder that friendship can bridge any distance, and that love and laughter are timeless.

Catherine Curtin

is known for her roles in Bad Education, The Light of the Moon, Worth, and Werewolves Within. TV credits include "Orange Is the New Black" (SAG Award), "Stranger Things", "Homeland", "The Loudest Voice", and "Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens". Stage credits include Recurring (59E59), So Help Me God (Lucille Lortel), and Tobacco Road (La Jolla Playhouse).

Marcia Cross

is best known as Bree Van de Kamp on "Desperate Housewives," earning three Golden Globe nominations and an Emmy nod. She recently starred Off-Broadway in Pay the Writer and appeared in The Substance of Fire at Ruskin Group Theatre. Other TV credits include "Melrose Place", "Everwood", "Monarch", and "You". A Juilliard graduate, her stage work includes Twelfth Night and Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Upcoming Rotating Cast

OCT 29 – NOV 9: Catherine Curtin & Marcia Cross

NOV 12 – NOV 23: Sharon Lawrence & Maureen McCormick

NOV 25 – DEC 7: Paige Davis & Montego Glover

DEC 10 – DEC 21: Donna Lynne Champlin & Emily Skinner

DEC 23 – JAN 4: Veanne Cox & Melissa Gilbert

Buy Tickets to Pen Pals A New Play