November 3, 2025
By Clementina Verge
On many weekends, Audrey Heffernan Meyer walks the wooded trails of Steep Rock Preserve in Washington, quietly running lines for an upcoming role—or simply enjoying the stillness. Other days, she’s swimming across Lake Waramaug or browsing the shelves of The Hickory Stick Bookshop—rituals that root her in the rhythms of Washington Depot, her second home for over two decades and a grounding counterbalance to her life on stage and screen.
She and her husband, renowned New York restaurateur Danny Meyer, raised their children here, where family life unfolded alongside a deepening connection to the community. Throughout her evolving acting career, Meyer stayed closely connected—supporting local arts nonprofits like the Pilobolus dance company and the Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens, and serving as a trustee for the Steep Rock Association.
That sense of grounding has shaped her work. After stepping back from performing to focus on family, Meyer returned to acting with renewed perspective, drawn to roles that reflect life’s emotional complexities. Since then, she’s built a steady presence in television, with appearances in FBI: Most Wanted, The Blacklist, and Blue Bloods—performances marked by nuance, restraint, and depth.
Most recently, she stars in Art of Leaving—a sharp, emotionally charged comedy running October 10 through December 14 at the Pershing Square Signature Center’s Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre in Manhattan.
Written by Anne Marilyn Lucas and directed by Matt Gehring, the production follows three couples navigating modern love and commitment. Meyer portrays Diana Katzman, a Metropolitan Museum museum curator whose life unravels when her husband unexpectedly requests a divorce—a crisis that brings out family secrets and emotional reckoning.
Meyer infuses Diana with strength and humor, drawing on personal experiences of having witnessed the end of long-term relationships and the transformations that follow. “Living in the moment and feeling the hurt every night” honors Diana’s emotional journey throughout the 90-minute, no-intermission show—one that leaves audiences responding in raw, honest ways that fuel Meyer’s performance.
“It’s so exciting—the rush, the adrenaline, the thrill,” she reflects. “You hear the audience’s reactions in real time, something you never get when filming for television. You have no idea what’s happening in people’s living rooms, but in live theater, every audience is unique. Some laugh immediately, others take time to warm up—but you feel everything. That magic, that visceral energy, is irreplaceable. Even the silence is powerful.”
Born in New Jersey and raised in Pennsylvania, Meyer fell in love with theater at a young age. At age 13, she played Maria in West Side Story, continuing on to immerse herself in the timeless conflicts of Shakespeare and the emotional intensity of Tennessee Williams and Eugene O’Neill. After refining her craft at Penn State, she built a steady, multi-faceted career, ranging from daytime soap operas to a one-woman musical showcase highlighting her folk-rock style and soaring soprano voice. What message does she hope Art of Leaving leaves with audiences? “Have courage,” Meyer says. “To be honest with themselves, to take bold steps in their lives and relationships, to embrace growth—even when it’s uncomfortable.”—artofleaving.com
