‘Liberation’ to transfer to Broadway this fall

The critically acclaimed play by Bess Wohl made its world premiere off Broadway with Roundabout Theatre Company earlier this year, directed by Whitney White.

Following an award-winning world premiere earlier this year, the new drama Liberation will transfer to Broadway this fall, beginning performances at the James Earl Jones Theatre on October 8. Opening night is October 28.

Written by Bess Wohl and directed by Whitney White, both Tony Award nominees, Liberation jumps between the 1970s, when six women founded a women’s liberation group in small-town Ohio, and the 2020s, when the daughter of the club’s founder tries to piece together the in-between: how her mom went from radical activist to traditional wife and mother, and where her movement for justice went wrong.

Roundabout Theatre Company presented the world premiere of Liberation off Broadway at the Laura Pels Theatre in spring 2025, when it earned the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play and nominations for Drama Desk and Drama League Awards. New York Theatre Guide’s review reads, “Wohl’s writing is sharp and witty, toggling back and forth between humor and heartbreak with natural ease.”

The cast of the Off-Broadway run, which earned Best Ensemble prizes from the Drama Desks and New York Drama Critic’s Circle, included Betsy Aidem as Margie, Audrey Corsa as Dora, Kayla Davion as Joanne, Susannah Flood as Lizzie, Kristolyn Lloyd as Celeste, Irene Sofia Lucio as Isidora, Charlie Thurston as Bill, and Adina Verson as Susan.

Broadway casting and additional creative team members have yet to be announced for the Broadway transfer.

“Bringing Liberation to Broadway is, quite literally, a dream come true for me,” said Wohl in a statement. “This play has lived in my heart for a very long time, and I’m beyond thrilled to continue its journey with this fantastic team at this moment. I can’t wait to share it with Broadway audiences.”

“Liberation is a play in which all things personal become political,” said White in a statement. “Set in the Midwest, which I call home, the play follows a group of ordinary women striving for what shouldn’t be extraordinary — equality.

“I cannot wait to share this story with the audience again on Broadway, home to great American storytelling. The laughs, the vibes, the revelations and all that happens on stage will make you wonder what’s been lost and how we should all be fighting to get it back.”

Photo credit: Liberation off Broadway. (Photo by Joan Marcus)