Photo by Joan Marcus
New York, NY
The new hyper-intimate Off-Broadway revival of Tartuffe, starring Tony winner André De Shields begins at Gilded Age mansion House of the Redeemer opening October 9.
Joining De Shields is Amber Iman as Elmire, Tyler Hardwick as Damis, Phoebe Dunn as Dorinne, Charlie Lubeck as Valere, Hannah Beck as Cleante, Chris Hahn as Orgon, Todd Buonopane as Mme. Pernelle, and Alexandra Socha as Mariane. Understudies James Preston Bates, Bex Odorisio, and Marcus Fitzpatrick round out the company. Casting is by Kate Lumpkin.
Photos by Joan Marcus
The classic satire, first performed in 1664, follows the titular Tartuffe as he misrepresents himself as poor for his own gain, and the outing of his deceit. Keaton Wooden directs the revival, which features Ranjit Bolt's translation of Moliére's French original. The production is the latest in a growing trend of Moliére revivals Off-Broadway—the fall will also see another version starring Matthew Broderick at New York Theatre Workshop.
Tall Order Productions and goaTman are producing, with Broadway & Beyond Theatricals and Ryan Bogner serving as executive producers. Co-producers include Karen Taffner Butler and Ron Butler, 30 Minutes From Broadway Entertainment, Jeanne McInerney, and Scott Wyatt. Evan Bernardin Productions is general manager.
“Just now in American culture, hypocrisy and delusion and belligerence are more pernicious than racism, sexism, and otherism, and are no respecter of person, economic status, age, geography, nor gender," says De Shields in a statement. "Younger generations deserve nobler examples of personal success and global citizenship. Moliére's Tartuffe is a master class in how to avoid self-demolition.”
Photo by Joan Marcus
“At its core, Tartuffe is a morality tale about our capacity for collective madness: how effortlessly we become spellbound by the things we most want to believe. And as we know, this is no distant fable; In many ways, we are living in the Age of Tartuffe. Happening before our eyes, up close and personal," adds Wooden. "And to help that sink in, we are inviting the audiences to live it with us, to step inside, and hopefully discover a spark of courage by confronting these grave and serious truths by treating them, for one evening together, very un-seriously."
Tall Order Productions and goaTman are producing, with Broadway & Beyond Theatricals serving as executive producer. Co-producers include Karen Taffner Butler and Ron Butler, 30 Minutes From Broadway Entertainment, Jeanne McInerney, and Scott Wyatt.
Photo by Joan Marcus
