Marilyn Chris Returns in THE GIGGLING GRANNY at Theater for the New City

Theater for the New City will present a return engagement of The Giggling Granny, starring Marilyn Chris, from February 26 through March 15, 2026. The production will be performed at Theater for the New City, located at 155 First Avenue at East 10th Street, following a sold-out run last season.

Written by Marsha Lee Sheiness and directed by Jim Semmelman, The Giggling Granny is a solo play based on the true story of Nannie Doss, a serial killer responsible for the deaths of four husbands between 1927 and 1954. Known publicly as the “Giggling Granny,” Doss cultivated a disarming, grandmotherly persona while committing a series of murders across multiple states.

The play was written specifically for Marilyn Chris and premiered at Theater for the New City in January 2025. Chris, whose career spans Broadway, Off-Broadway, television, and film, has received numerous honors including an Obie Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, the Variety Critics Poll, and the TV Magazine Writers and Editors Award for Best Supporting Actress.

In The Giggling Granny, Doss’s story is examined through a psychological and historical lens, exploring how gender expectations and social perceptions allowed her crimes to go largely undetected for decades. The production considers themes of trust, manipulation, and the ways violence can remain hidden behind social norms and charm.

The production is directed by Jim Semmelman, with set and costume design by Frances Kohn, lighting design by David Abb, and sound design by Gary Ljungquist. Emily Wasenda serves as stage manager, with Andy Moreta as assistant lighting designer. The producer is Roseanne Kirk.

Marsha Lee Sheiness, who passed away in 2022, was an original playwright-in-residence at Playwrights Horizons, where nine of her works were produced. Her plays were also developed and presented by the O’Neill Playwrights Conference, PBS’s Theater in America, and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.

Jim Semmelman is a director, producer, and author with more than three decades of experience across theatre, television, and film, including national tours and regional productions.

The Giggling Granny

February 26 – March 15, 2026
Theater for the New City
155 First Avenue (at East 10th Street), New York, NY

Performances run Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. The running time is approximately 90 minutes.