New York City
Set in 1905 Manhattan, Intimate Apparel is a deeply moving portrait of Esther, an African-American seamstress who creates exquisite lingerie for women of both the boudoir and the brothel alike. Painfully lonely, Esther becomes a new woman when she falls in love with a handsome Barbadian laborer who woos her through a series of romantic letters, while her friendship with a shy Jewish fabric merchant grows in unexpected ways. Filled with desire, passion, and betrayal, Intimate Apparel, the winner of five Best Play awards, has quickly become one of the country’s most celebrated and beloved plays.