Carlsbad Playreaders Will Present One-Night-Only Staged Reading of MARY JANE
The all-female cast production takes place at Dove Library with direction by Sandy Campbell
Carlsbad Playreaders will present a one-night-only staged reading of Mary Jane, the celebrated drama by Pulitzer Prize finalist and Tony Award-nominated playwright Amy Herzog, on Monday, May 4, 2026 at 7:00 PM at the Dove Library, 1775 Dove Lane, Carlsbad, CA. Admission is Pay What You Can, making this an accessible evening of powerful theater for the entire community.
Captivating, witty, and compassionate, Mary Jane is the story of a single mother navigating an impossible family situation. Over the span of her encounters with the women in her life, Mary Jane comes into sharper focus - a resilient, clear-eyed portrait of a mother's unflinching optimism in the face of exhaustion, isolation, and the small victories of caregiving. The play won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play in 2018 and made its Broadway debut in April 2024, led by Rachel McAdams in the title role.
This intimate staged reading features an all-female cast of five accomplished local performers: Kelsey Venter*, Erika Beth Phillips*, Monique Gaffney*, Dagmar Fields, and Lyric Boothe.
Stage directions will be read by Maybelle Shimizu, under the direction of Sandy Campbell*.
(*Member of Actor's Equity Association)
Mary Jane is a play for anyone who has ever relied on community to get through the unthinkable - a story about caregiving, friendship, resilience, and the makeshift families we build to survive.
PERFORMANCE DETAILS:
- Date: Monday, May 4, 2026
- Time: 7:00 PM
- Location: Dove Library, 1775 Dove Lane, Carlsbad, CA 92011
- Admission: Pay What You Can at the Door
Carlsbad Playreaders is a community theater organization dedicated to bringing exceptional dramatic literature to life through the art of the staged reading. For more details, visit our website at: carlsbadplayreaders.com.

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