Premiered in 1996, An American Daughter remains one of Wasserstein’s most incisive and sharply observed works. Blending comedy with pointed socio-political insight, the play examines the unraveling of a prominent political family as personal missteps, sexual politics, public scrutiny, and relentless media attention collide. It is a multifaceted tale of a family that cannibalizes its own legacy by undermining the potential of the daughter who carries the family torch — all with a significant assist from the media.

At the center of the story is a brilliant, accomplished woman, poised to step onto the national stage, until a seemingly minor personal oversight ignites a media frenzy that threatens to dismantle her reputation and shatter her dreams. As the story unfolds, Wasserstein deftly reveals the unfair standards placed on women in public life alongside society’s fear of ambitious, powerful women. Exploring the dilemma facing smart, powerful women, the prescient Wasserstein shines a light on just how fractured the American dream is.

“An American Daughter is one of those rare plays that continues to reveal new layers with every generation that encounters it,” said Jean Lichty, Executive Director of La Femme Theatre Productions. “For this production, we’ve been looking closely at the history of the play—what has worked beautifully in past productions and what resonates most strongly with audiences today—and thoughtfully bringing together the best elements of those interpretations, thereby allowing the piece to both speak freshly to our current moment and respect Wendy’s singular legacy.”

She continued, “We are thrilled to welcome Sarna Lapine as the show’s director. She is the perfect collaborator to help bring this vision to life and celebrate the work of a generational talent such as Wendy. Sarna has an extraordinary ability to illuminate both the humor and the emotional complexity in a script, and she understands how to center the intelligence, ambition, and vulnerability of Wendy’s characters. With Sarna at the helm, we’re confident this revival will not only honor Wendy’s voice but also offer a dynamic and contemporary production for New York audiences.”

This production will be cast by Stephanie Klapper, CSA, and general managed by LDK Productions.

An American Daughter is not a Signature Theatre production.

BIOS

SARNA LAPINE is a New York-based director of musicals, plays, and opera, with a passion for developing new work and a skilled hand at radically reimagining revivals. She recently directed Jean Smart’s return to Broadway in the world premiere of Call Me Izzy at Studio 54. She directed the Broadway revival of Sunday in the Park with George, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford. Lapine frequently collaborates with renowned playwright Kate Hamill, having directed the world premiere of Dracula (Classic Stage Company), as well as the New York premiere of Little Women. In addition to her work in New York, Lapine has worked extensively regionally and internationally. Select credits include Annie Get Your Gun (Bay Street Theater), Sweeney Todd (Signature Theatre), Into the Woods (The Guthrie Theater), Fiddler on the Roof (The Philadelphia Orchestra), The Rape of Lucretia (Boston Lyric Opera—named Best Opera of 2019 by The Boston Globe), and the Japanese premiere of Anna Ziegler’s Photograph 51. Lapine has mounted the following productions across North America: The National Theatre’s War Horse (Associate Director for North American Tour and Japan), and Lincoln Center Theater’s Tony Award-winning revival, South Pacific (Associate Director of 1st National Tour). Her concert credits include: 4-Stars in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan, two Sondheim concerts with the Boston Pops, as well as Sondheim on Sondheim with the LA Phil, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel at The Hollywood Bowl. www.sarnalapine.com

LA FEMME THEATRE PRODUCTIONS is an all-inclusive theatre company dedicated to the exploration and celebration of the universal female experience. Its mission is to highlight and clarify the experiences of all women, particularly but not exclusively those of adult women, through the texts of both women and men, particularly but not exclusively those of the classic American canon, and to investigate the lens through which both women and men view women. Accordingly, La Femme endeavors to engender stage, film, television, and digital media projects that probe those lenses.

Moreover, La Femme seeks to produce works that not only feature significant roles for women but also examine the meaning of female identity in yesterday’s, today’s, and tomorrow’s worlds. And, by presenting and sharing these stories of the female experience, La Femme hopes to encourage girls and women of all ages and backgrounds to follow their dreams – and “break ceilings.” To help break those ceilings, La Femme not only mentors young women by providing professional internships and fellowships but also showcases their talent in its development programs A Woman’s Storyland, Women on the Verge, and Corner Nest Lab under the umbrella of its annual Women in Agency Festival (WIAF).

The Pershing Square Signature Center, the permanent home of Signature Theatre, is a three-theatre facility on West 42nd Street and Jim Houghton Way designed by Frank Gehry Architects to host Signature’s three distinct playwrights’ residencies and foster a cultural community. The Center is a major contribution to New York City’s cultural landscape and provides a venue for cultural organizations that supports and encourages collaboration among artists throughout the space. In addition to its three intimate theatres, the Center features a studio theatre, rehearsal studio, a bookstore, and the Signature Café + Bar. For more information on renting the Center, please visit www.signaturetheatre.org/rent-our-space.

Performance Details
An American Daughter
Presented by La Femme Theatre Productions
Directed by Sarna Lapine
The Irene Diamond Stage at the Pershing Square Signature Center
Beginning July 23, 2026
For more information, visit LaFemmeTheatreProductions.org