Video: Prayer for the French Republic Is About History, Family, and Antisemitism

The Broadway premiere of Joshua Harmon's Drama Desk-winning play Prayer for the French Republic began performances at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre December 19. It will open January 9, 2024 opening night, and the show's already been extended until February 18, 2024.

Ahead of the show's opening next month, Playbill got to know the 11 performers who will tell this multi-generational story examining history, home, and the effects of an ancient hatred. See their interviews in the video above.

"[It's] exploring the crisis of the world of antisemitism, and how that affects the family in a very personal way and in a big way," said Anthony Edwards.

The cast is comprised of Ethan Haberfield, Richard Masur, Nael Nacer, Daniel Oreskes, Betsy Aidem (Leopoldstadt), Lucille Lortel and Drama Desk winner Francis Benhamou, Ari Brand, Molly Ranson, Nancy Robinette, Anthony Edwards (ER, Top Gun), and Aria Shahghasemi (Legacies). Aidem, Benhamou, Brand, Ranson, and Robinette are all reprising their performances from the work's 2022 Off-Broadway world premiere, also staged by Manhattan Theatre Club.

The play, which begins in 1944 with a Jewish couple awaiting news of their missing family, unravels both internal and external conflicts for the family throughout five generations.

"It resonated with me just because it reminded me of my own family, the arguments they were having, and the way they got over the arguments and came back to each other," said Shahghasemi.

Tony winner David Cromer is directing after staging the Off-Broadway bow. Cromer has reassembled his original creative team, including scenic designer Takeshi Kata, costume designer Sarah Laux, lighting designer Amith Chandrashaker, composer and sound designer Daniel Kluger (taking the reigns solo after co-sound designing the Off-Broadway run with Lee Kinney), and hair and makeup designer J. Jared Janas. Gigi Buffington is vocal coach, and casting is by Caparelliotis Casting's Kelly Gillespie. Richard Hodge is production stage manager.