Theater News

Cast Announced for The Body of Mary: A Play in Three Acts (of God)

Katie Cappiello’s absurdist comedy about the mother of Jesus opens in September at the Gym at Judson.

| Off-Broadway |

August 6, 2026

BOD Collage — The cast of *The Body of Mary: A Play in Three Acts (of God)* includes (clockwise from top left) Gracie Conn, Ben Cook, Annalisa D’Aguilar, Tracy Sallows, Mary Jo Mecca, and David Hull.

GoodDottirs has announced the full cast and creative team for the world premiere of Katie Cappiello’s The Body of Mary: A Play in Three Acts (of God), set to begin preview performance at the Gym at Judson on September 8 ahead of an official opening night September 15. Performances are scheduled through October 8.

The ensemble cast includes Gracie Conn in her off-Broadway debut, Ben Cook (Illinoise), Annalisa D’Aguilar in her Off-Broadway debut, David Hull (CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Mary Jo Mecca (Starz’s Hightown), and Tracy Sallows (The Audience).

An official description of the play reads, “Meet Mary of Nazareth. She’s just trying to steer clear of marauding Roman soldiers when she learns she’s been chosen for something super special! Meet Mother Mary. She’s devoted her life to New York City’s neediest, running shelters for homeless trafficking victims. Cardinal O’Malley has a pitch for her and her sister nuns—an exciting new way to serve. Meet Mary of Nazareth, TX. She is taking out the trash at the end of her late-night shift at Dairy Queen. God only knows what she’ll find in that dumpster.”

“I’ve spent my career writing about girls— how they bond and communicate, how they strive to live freely and fully in the world— so why not Mary?” says Cappiello, adding, “The story of Mary of Nazareth is of course the origin story of Christianity, but it’s also the origin story of our cultural understanding of motherhood and womanhood. I was driven to write something about the church’s history of controlling women and their bodies in service of its power—as an absurdist comedy.”

Cappiello directs the production, leading a creative team that includes Forest Entsminger (scenic design), Lauren Bremen (lighting design), Dina El-Aziz (costume design), Florian Staab (sound design), and Jonathan Schatzberg (props). The production team includes Jennifer Baumgardner (producer) and Lola Blackman (assistant director/producer/assistant stage manager). Casting is by Charlotte Arnoux.