Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire, who won the Tony and Pulitzer for Rabbit Hole, has expertly tapped into the zeitgeist with his newest work, Good People. This hard-edged comedy about class differences is bound to strike a chord in a modern economic climate that is resulting in an ever growing disparity between the haves and the have-nots.

Set in South Boston, the play primarily concerns the charged interactions between Margie (Oscar winner Frances McDormand), who has just been let go from her job as a cashier in a dollar store, and Mike (Tate Donovan), the old flame turned prosperous physician who she turns to for help.

Single mom Margie has lost her job due to the constant tardiness caused by her having to care for her mentally impaired young daughter. Desperately concerned about her ability to make ends meet, she eagerly grasps at her old friend Jean’s (Becky Ann Baker) suggestion to look up “Dr. Mike” and ask him for a job.

But when she shows up at his well-appointed office, it quickly becomes apparent that Mike, although sympathetic to his old high school flame’s plight, has little interest in helping. He does, however, throw her a bone in the form on an invitation to the birthday party he and his significantly younger, African-American wife Kate (Renee Elise Goldsberry) are throwing for their young daughter.

Shortly before the event, he calls to cancel, explaining that the birthday girl is sick. But Margie, suspecting that he’s merely had second thoughts about inviting her, decides to attend anyway.

When she shows up unexpectedly at his upscale neighborhood home with a gift of a tacky rabbit doll crafted by her eccentric landlady (Estelle Parsons), Margie discovers that he was telling the truth. The resulting confrontation between her and the couple, who are obviously experiencing marital difficulties, sharply exposes the different paths that their lives have taken.

Although not a major work, the play succeeds because of its incisively drawn characters and sharp, witty dialogue. The interactions between the characters feel vividly real, from Mike’s increasing registers of annoyance to Margie’s edgy sarcasm to Kate’s genuine attempts at civility. Even Steve (Patrick Carroll), the dollar shop manager who fires Margie, is revealed to have unexpected depths in the bingo playing scenes that amusingly riff on the lower class characters’ financial desperation.

Under the pitch-perfect direction of Daniel Sullivan, the cast delivers superb performances. It’s no surprise that the ever reliable McDormand is excellent, but here she delivers a multi-faceted portrayal, complete with a perfect Southie accent, that rivals her Oscar winning turn in Fargo. She’s well matched by Donovan, who subtly but expertly conveys Mike’s barely disguised contempt; Goldsberry, suggesting hidden depths in the sympathetic Kate, and the rest of the ensemble. 

Adding to the production’s effect are John Lee Beatty’s beautifully crafted sets, which vividly convey the characters’ wildly different financial circumstances.

Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, 261 W. 47th St. 212-239-6200. www.telecharge.com.