Two generations of women with shared political ideals but very different perspectives collide in The Ask, a new off-Broadway production starring five-time Golden Globe nominee Marilu Henner and Emmy-nominated actress Shannon Purser. The play begins previews October 6 at New York City’s Theater 555, with opening night scheduled for October 15.
Written by Matthew Freeman and directed by Jessi D. Hill, the production marks Henner’s return to the New York stage and Purser’s New York stage debut. Best known for her breakout role in Netflix’s Stranger Things, Purser joins Henner in a two-person drama that examines the tensions, misunderstandings and unexpected divisions that can emerge between people who believe they are fighting for the same causes.
Set inside an Upper West Side apartment, The Ask centers on a meeting between Greta (Henner), a longtime donor with strong progressive convictions, and Tanner (Purser), a young fundraiser working for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Tanner arrives hoping to secure a significant financial contribution, but what begins as a donor meeting quickly becomes a battle of wills.
As the women exchange arguments, wit and personal perspectives, their common ideals give way to differences shaped by age, experience and competing expectations. The encounter reveals the cultural and emotional fault lines that can complicate relationships, even among people who share a commitment to social progress.
Freeman draws on more than a decade of his own experience as an ACLU fundraiser to explore the complicated relationship between philanthropy, politics and personal conviction. The play previously received a critically acclaimed New York production at The Wild Project, also directed by Hill.
The earlier staging earned recognition from several publications, including a four-star review and Critic’s Pick from Time Out New York. TheaterMania described the work as “Taut. Timely. Telling.”
The creative team includes set designer Craig Napoliello, costume designer Nicole Wee, lighting designer Venus Gulbranson and sound designer Ben Scheff. Geoff Josselson Casting is handling casting.
Produced by Adam Cohen, JRJ Productions LLC and Groundswell Theatricals, Inc., The Ask will play a strictly limited engagement through November 22 at Theater 555, located at 555 West 42nd Street in Manhattan.
Tickets are available at TheAskPlay.com.