{{For, the Victoria Williams song covered by Pearl Jam, Victoria Williams
''Crazy Mary'' is a play by
A.R. Gurney
Albert Ramsdell Gurney Jr. (November 1, 1930 – June 13, 2017) (sometimes credited as Pete Gurney) was an American playwright, novelist and academic. He is known for works including ''The Dining Room'' (1982), ''Sweet Sue (play), Sweet Sue'' (1 ...
Playwrights Horizons
Playwrights Horizons is a not-for-profit Off-Broadway theater located in New York City dedicated to the support and development of contemporary American playwrights, composers, and lyricists, and to the production of their new work.
Under the ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
from May 11-June 26, 2007, with actors
Kristine Nielsen
Kristine E. Nielsen (born May 28, 1955) is an American actress known for her work on Broadway and Off-Broadway. Nielsen was nominated for the 2013 Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Play for her performance as Sonia in ''Vanya and Sonia and Ma ...
as Mary,
Sigourney Weaver
Susan Alexandra "Sigourney" Weaver (; born October 8, 1949) is an American actress. A figure in science fiction and popular culture, she has received various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Gramm ...
as Lydia and
Michael Esper
Michael James Esper (born December 1, 1975) is an American actor, best known for his stage work.
Early life
Esper was born in Manhattan and raised in Montclair, New Jersey. He is the son of acting teachers William and Suzanne Esper, of the W ...
as Skip. Scenic Design was by
John Lee Beatty
John Lee Beatty is an American scenic designer who has created set designs for more than 115 Broadway shows and has designed for other productions. He won two Tony Awards, for ''Talley's Folly'' (1980) and ''The Nance'' (2013), was nominated for ...
(''The Color Purple''; ''Chicago''; ''Talley's Folly''). Costume Design was by Claudia Brown (''Blue in the Face; Psych''). Lighting Design was by Brian Aldous (''Mrs. Farnsworth; Blue Man Group: Tubes''). Sound Design was by Jill BC DuBoff. Production Stage Manager was Janet Takami. The play is directed by Jim Simpson ''(Mrs. Farnsworth; Psych)'' and took place on PH's Mainstage Theater.
''Crazy Mary'' concerns the scion of a wealthy
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from Sou ...
clan and her willful, college-aged son who, in an attempt to account for the family inheritance, visit their long lost cousin Mary. The catch: Mary is living in an asylum, and has barely spoken in years, forcing mother and son to employ radical ends to get through. The play premiered on May 11, 2007 to sellout crowds, and the run was extended a week past its initial scheduled closure.
Reviews were lukewarm. The play has since been performed in community theaters in FloridaNaples News /ref> and elsewhere.