Boasting star power, killer performances, and a deeply moving and important script by Wendy Wasserstein, The Heidi Chronicles is Broadway’s latest arrival – and is not to be missed! The Heidi Chronicles started previews at Broadway’s Music Box Theatre on February 23, and already the buzz surrounding the show has been extremely positive.

 

The Heidi Chronicles tells the story of Heidi Holland, a child of the 50s whose journey through the tumultuous 60s and 70s shapes her into the successful art historian and deeply complex woman that she is today. She is quite often faced with choosing between the path of least resistance and forging her own path. Heidi almost exclusively chooses the latter, forcing her to sacrifice a “traditional” happy life, but ultimately proving to be an even more rewarding choice.

 

The role of Heidi is played expertly by Mad Men’s Elisabeth Moss. While Moss has had a long career in both TV and film, this is not her first foray into theater. Moss previously appeared on Broadway in the 2008 production of David Mamet’s Speed-the-Plow. Her subtle humor and extreme depth help to create a protagonist that audiences want desperately to succeed.

 

Joining Moss onstage are two Broadway veterans – Jason Biggs and Bryce Pinkham. Biggs (best known for his work in the American Pie franchise and in Orange is the New Black) plays Heidi’s sometimes lover Scoop. Biggs previously appeared on the Broadway stage in Conversations with my Father, The Graduate, and in 2003’s The Play What I Wrote. Pinkham – fresh off his performance in the Tony Award winning musical A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder – plays Heidi’s lifelong gay best friend. Pinkham brings his great charm and hilarious personality to the role, moving audiences one minute, making them cackle the next.

 

The Heidi Chronicles is directed with a keen eye and a strong vision by Pam MacKinnon. MacKinnon’s use of projections, a large turntable, and period music help to create a vibrant world through which Heidi must navigate. MacKinnon has been on quite a directing “roll” recently, having directed the Broadway productions of 2012’s Clybourne Park, 2012’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and 2014’s A Delicate Balance.

 

While The Heidi Chronicles is only in previews, it is bound to be the must-see play of the spring season. The play is deeply moving, extremely thought-provoking, and heartbreakingly hilarious. Without a doubt, you should see Heidi – you’ll be glad you did.