“Between them, they create a powerful onstage debate that delivers a political punch to the gut.”
PLAYCLOSED
What the Constitution Means to Me
Opened Mar 31, 2019 · Closed Aug 24, 2019 · Ran for 5 months
27 Rave
11 Positive
2 Mixed
1 Negative
Critics' Take
Critics hail Schreck's genre-defying civics lesson as timely, moving, and essential theater that brilliantly blends personal memoir with constitutional debate. A few find it overly constructed or preachy, but most praise its urgency and emotional power.
This show has closed. Tickets are no longer available.
Critic Scorecard
41 reviews27 Rave
11 Positive
2 Mixed
1 Negative
Sort:
“It is a flawless, moving, and incredibly powerful masterpiece.”
“It's a stirring lesson on the body politic and the politics of the body.”
“Now, it feels energizing and hopeful—and exactly what our country needs.”
“Joy comes too from watching an imaginative new kind of theater emerge. It doesn't come from nowhere, of course: In some ways, 'What the Constitution Means to Me' recalls Lisa Kron's memoir play 'Well,' in which a prepared speech about urban decline is hijacked by a mother who begs to differ. In other ways, Ms.”
Audience Scorecard
590 audience reviews
A-
Liking It
Awards Scorecard
2018-19 season56
Honored
Nominated for Best Play
Pulitzer Prize for Drama Finalist (2019)
OBA Award:1 winObie Award:1 winDrama Desk:2 nomsOuter Critics:1 nomDrama League:1 nomLortel Award:1 nom
Box Office Scorecard
source · Broadway League, publicAll Time
Frequently Asked Questions
What do critics say about What the Constitution Means to Me?
Critics hail Schreck's genre-defying civics lesson as timely, moving, and essential theater that brilliantly blends personal memoir with constitutional debate. A few find it overly constructed or preachy, but most praise its urgency and emotional power. (CriticScore 85/100 from 41 reviews.)
Is What the Constitution Means to Me worth seeing?
Absolutely — What the Constitution Means to Me is one of the season's most acclaimed shows, earning a rare 85/100 from 41 critics. Don't miss it.
What is the CriticScore for What the Constitution Means to Me?
What the Constitution Means to Me has a CriticScore of 85/100 based on 41 professional reviews. This is considered a "Critical Gold" show.
Is What the Constitution Means to Me still running on Broadway?
No, What the Constitution Means to Me has closed. It played at Helen Hayes Theater and closed on August 24, 2019.
Theater Scorecard
Typical VenueOne of Broadway's smallest houses (597 seats) and one of its newest, built in 2015 as Second Stage's permanent home. The intimate scale means excellent sightlines from nearly every seat, though the modern design prioritizes function over grandeur.
Original Broadway Cast
- Heidi SchreckPerformerNom: Actress (Play)Broadway debut
- Rosdely CiprianPerformerBroadway debut, Alternate
- Mike IvesonPerformerBroadway debut
- Thursday WilliamsPerformerBroadway debut, Alternate
Creative Team
- Oliver ButlerDirector
- Heidi SchreckPlaywright
Quick Facts
- CriticScore
- 85/100 (41 reviews)
- Status
- Closed
- Opened
- Mar 31, 2019
- Closed
- Aug 24, 2019
- Run Length
- 5 months
- Synopsis
- Fifteen-year-old Heidi Schreck put herself through college by giving speeches about the U.S. Constitution. Now, the Obie Award winner recalls her teenage self in order to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women in her own family and the founding document that dictated their rights and citizenship. This witty and searingly personal exploration breathes new life into our founding document and imagines how it will shape the next generation of American women.
- Data Last Updated
- October 7, 2026
