Jon Robin Baitz’s play 'Other Desert Cities' has returned to Broadway, featuring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Harris, and Lily Rabe in a drama set in 2004.
Key facts
- •The play is directed by John Benjamin Hickey and marks Julia Louis-Dreyfus's Broadway debut.
- •The story takes place on Christmas Eve 2004 at the Wyeth family home in Palm Springs.
- •Brooke Wyeth returns home to announce the upcoming publication of a memoir about her late brother, Henry.
- •Henry Wyeth died by suicide following his involvement in a bombing that killed a security guard.
- •The play features a cast including Ed Harris as Lyman, Joe Keery as Trip, Lily Rabe as Brooke, and Allison Janney as Silda.
The Broadway revival of Jon Robin Baitz’s play "Other Desert Cities," directed by John Benjamin Hickey, has opened. Set on Christmas Eve 2004 in Palm Springs, the production explores the ideological and personal conflicts within the wealthy, Republican-aligned Wyeth family. The story centers on the return of the family's daughter, Brooke, who arrives with a manuscript for a memoir that threatens to expose a tragic family secret regarding her late brother, Henry.
The Wyeth Family Dynamics
The play features Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Polly Wyeth and Ed Harris as Lyman Wyeth, a retired film star and former ambassador. The couple resides in a palatial Palm Springs home, where they are joined for the holidays by their children, Trip and Brooke, as well as Polly’s sister, Silda, who is recovering from alcohol addiction. The family environment is marked by political tension, as the parents hold staunch conservative views that frequently clash with the perspectives of their adult children. Trip, played by Joe Keery, works as a reality television producer, while Brooke, played by Lily Rabe, is a writer who has spent years on the East Coast recovering from a period of severe depression. The play’s setting in 2004 highlights the political climate following George W. Bush’s second election victory, serving as a backdrop for the internal fractures within the family unit.
A Damning Memoir
The central conflict arises when Brooke reveals that she intends to publish a memoir detailing the family's history, specifically the life and death of her older brother, Henry. Henry died by suicide years prior after his involvement in a bombing incident that resulted in a fatality. This revelation creates significant distress for Polly and Lyman, who have long avoided discussing the event. The play examines how these buried secrets and past traumas impact the family’s present relationships.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Variety, Hollywood Reporter.
