THE DUCHESS OF MALFI
Written by: John Webster
Directed by: Hayley Rice
Fight Choreography by: Maya Vinice Prentiss
**MASKING IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND IN PERSON**
About the Show
When the widowed Duchess of Malfi chooses to love again, honestly and defiantly, the men in her family do everything in their power to break those that would dare to flout the unspoken rules of a “traditional” society. “Despite the 407 years between the premiere of Duchess of Malfi and today, in some ways very little has changed,” states Rice. “This production will focus on the (unfortunately timeless) theme of the power held, and desperately clung to, by a patriarchal society, and how something as simple as two people openly loving each other outside of that dichotomy is an inherent threat to those in power (then and today). Toxic masculinity is still an insidious disease. It lashes out at marginalized communities. It also eats away at some men, making them feel, to paraphrase a section of the text, like they’re ‘wearing a wolf-skin that is hairy on the inside.'”
| WHERE | The Factory Theater 1623 Howard St. Chicago, Illinois |
| WHEN | September 9 – October 21, 2023 |
| SHOWTIMES | Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00pm Sundays at 3:00pm |
| PREVIEWS | September 9, 10, 14 & 15th |
| PRESS OPENING | Saturday, September 16th |
| CLOSING NIGHT | Saturday, October 21st |
| OPEN CAPTIONING |
September 23, 24, 28, 29 |
| STREAMING | October 12, 13, 14, 15 |
| SENSORY RELAXED❊ PERFORMANCES |
October 14, 15 |
❊During the sensory relaxed performances we adjust the following:
- We allow the audience to carefully leave the space when they need to for whatever reason.
- We keep the ‘house lights’ (the lights above the audience) at half instead of totally out.
- We keep the lights on in the lobby instead of out during the show.
- We have various sensory / stim devices (fidget spinners/bubble boards) at box office for anybody who would find those helpful to have during the performance.
- We would usually adjust sound to be not as loud as usual.
- We will also be providing an extra break down in the lobby for folks if they want to know when intense moments of violence happen if they have PTSD and need to remove themselves.
AUDIENCE ALERT
This show contains the following:
- multiple violent deaths by sword/knife
- murder by strangling
- murder by poison
- implied incestuous impulses (sibling)
- discussion of suicide
- semi-realistic blood effects
- romantic/sexual intimacy (consensual)
- smoking and drinking
- and patriarchy. Lots of rancid patriarchy.
RUN TIME
2 hours, 10 minutes
Photos by Joe Mazza/Brave Lux
Cast
Clara Byczkowski (She/They) Antonio
Carrie Hardin (She/Her) Duchess
Carina Lastimosa (She/Her) Julia/Doctor; U/S Duchess
Hazel Monson (She/Her) Delia
Shane Richlen (He/Him) Ferdinand
Carlos Wagener-Sobrero (He/They) Cardinal
Maureen Yasko (She/Her) Bosola
Annemarie Andaleon (She/Her) U/S Antonio/Delio/Julia
Grant Brown (He/Him) U/S Ferdinand/Cardinal
Anika Flores (She/Her) U/S Bosola/Doctor
Production Team
Hayley Rice (She/Her) Director
Esau Andaleon (He/Him) Stage Manager
Rose Hamill (She/Her) Production Manager
Maya Vinice Prentiss (She/Her) Fight Choreographer
Stephanie Mattos (She/Her) Assistant Fight Choreographer
Marcus Klein (He/Him) Scenic Design
Laura Wiley (She/Her) Lighting Design
Line Bower (They/Them) Technical Director
Jennifer Mohr (She/Her) Costume Design
Kiera Battles (She/Her) Sound Design
Meg X McGrath (They/Them) Props Design
Jennifer L. Mickelson (She/Her) Intimacy Designer
Payton Shearn (She/They) Production Assistant
**Ticket Prices: Previews $20; student and senior tickets are $28 and general admission are $35.***Ticket sales end 3 hours before curtain. Seats may still be available even if it says no longer available.***
BWBTC will be collecting charity donations for Chicago Abortion Fund (CAF) closing week of the run.
