By Lucy Komisar

This play by prominent feminist playwright, the late Wendy Wasserstein, was presented on Broadway in 1997. It got mixed reviews then. It’s been rewritten. But looking at the old reviews, it appears flawed from the start. It is a soap opera, but even some melodramas may be convincing. This one is not. Its characters are caricatures and its plot is full of holes.

In an elegant Georgetown townhouse with a garden seen through a wall of windows, Lyssa (Jean Lichty) is in the throes of having been nominated to be surgeon general. “Throes” is right as it is not a joyous occasion. Her father is a Republican senator (good-ole-boy Dakin Matthews) who is supportive even if he disagrees with her on abortion rights. His wife “Chubby” (Mary Beth Peil) who is slim, is more sensible than the other women, worth mentioning because she is the “trad” wife.

Among the family entourage there is Morrow McCarthy (Ryan Spahn), a pretentious self-important gay guy who has just sold a book and appears quite willing to sell out Lyssa as well.

Quincy Quince (Carmen Zilles) another full-of-herself writer (“The Prisoner of Gender”) who goes on podcasts and interview shows to promote herself and trash Lyssa. Not to mention seducing her husband, the mild and easy to manipulate sociology professor Walter (Robert Sean Leonard).

They are perhaps thrown in to ensure diversity but are so toxic that Lyssa appears terminally naïve to let them anywhere near the TV reporter who is interviewing her and her family.

The only friend we like is Judith Kaufman (Montego Glover), an appealing black oncologist whose father was a Freedom Rider Jew, adopted the religion and is taking fertility treatments. She is single. In a moment of unhappiness she jumps into the Potomac River. Whaaaa?

The big issue adopted by pompous TV journalist Timber Tucker (Chris Ghaffari) is that Lyssa’s husband lets slip that she some years ago avoided a jury summons by doing the normal “I have kid…I have obligations…etc.” And then there’s a part about disparaging American women by mentioning she made an ice box cake. Whaaaa?

This is a realistic presentation only to the extent that we know TV journalists are so stupid that a jury summons and an ice box cake is actually what they would glom in on when interviewing a candidate for surgeon general.

The only sensible character is Billy Robbins (Will Devary), the senator’s spin doctor, who of course would have been in charge from the beginning of a cabinet level nomination. He would have immediately banished Morrow and Quincy. (“Robbins” will go far.)

The performers were all fine, but it’s hard to judge an actor who has to spout ridiculous dialogue. As for director Sarna Lapint, if this was meant to be satire, it was leaden. Whatever additions were made to the script, that hasn’t changed. Politics on cable TV is more sophisticated.

Wendy Wasserstein’s “The Heidi Chronicles” won a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award in 1988. Note Heidi gives up her career to adopt a child. “The Sisters Rosensweig” premiered in 1992 and moved to Broadway in 1993. Wasserstein died of lymphoma in 2006 at the age of 55.

I support feminist theater. It is worthwhile looking at Wasserstein’s plays. It doesn’t mean they all work.

“An American Daughter.” Written by Wendy Wasserstein, directed by Sarna Lapine. La Femme Theatre Productions, The Pershing Square Signature Centre, 480 West 42 St, NYC. 2hrs45min. Opened Aug 11, 2026, closes Sept 20, 2026.