Resonance Ensemble artistic director Eric Parness stages the new work, which begins preview Oct. 29 toward a Nov. 4 opening. Rebecca Patterson directs the all-female cast take on the Molière classic comedy, which started previews Oct. 27 and opens Nov. 3.

In his new comedy (inspired by the Molière work, among others), Mee spins a tale of an older man who acquires a young Asian bride to the outrage of his family and friends. In the scribe's own description, he quips, "They ask him: does he think he can just buy a bride? And he asks them: do they think it would be better if he were just to rent one?"

Susan Louise O'Connor (Never Swim Alone) — who played opposite F. Murray Abraham in a March 27 Resonance Ensemble benefit reading of the work with John Cariani, Deborah S. Craig, Jennifer Mudge, Keira Naughton and more — appears in the cast of The Mail Order Bride along with John Henry Cox, Booth Daniels, Susan Ferrara, Vivia Font, Sue Jean Kim, Sam Kitchen, Peter McCain, Lori McNally and Melissa Miller.

The design team includes Dustin O'Neill (scenic), Sidney Shannon (costumes - Bride), Jenny Fulton (costumes - Invalid), Aaron Mason (lighting), Nick Moore (sound - Bride) and Sabrina McGuigan (sound - Invalid).

The all-female cast for The Imaginary Invalid features Virginia Baeta, Amy Driesler, Valentina McKenzie, Gisele Richardson, Samarra, Carey Urban and Kari Washington. Playwright Mee's works include Fetes de la Nuit, A Perfect Wedding, True Love, First Love, Big Love, Snow in June, Vienna: Lusthaus, Summertime and Wintertime. The writer urges adaptations or reworkings of all his texts (located in full on his website at www.charlesmee.org) as part of his "the (re)making project" — based on the theory that "There is no such thing as an original play."

Tickets for the Resonance Ensemble's The Mail Order Bride at Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street, are available by calling 212-279-4200. For more information, visit www.ResonanceEnsemble.org.