Production History

Summer 2009

The Underground Zero Festival @ Collective: Unconscious

Brick Theater's Pretentious Festival @ The Brick Theatre

Swarthmore College's 2007 Alumni Weekend @ Swarthmore College

Conceived and Directed by Jon Stancato
Written by Kiran Rikhye
Costumes Designed by Caroline Barnard and May Elbaz
Lights & Sets Designed by David Bengali
Dramturgy by Emily Otto
Stage Management & Props by Aviva Meyer
Masks Designed by Jonathan Becker
Poster designed by Jon Stancato
Featuring: David Bengali, Layna Fisher, Cameron J. Oro, and Liza Wade White

Co-produced by Horse Trade

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February 2005

Stampede Fest 2005 @ CB's Gallery

Conceived and Directed by Jon Stancato
Written by Kiran Rikhye
Costumes Designed by Caroline Barnard
Lights Designed by David Bengali
Masks Designed by Jonathan Becker
Poster designed by Jon Stancato
Featuring: Jon Campbell, Jon Stancato, Alexia Vernon, and Jennifer Wren*

*appears courtesy of Actors' Equity

Sponsored by Feed the Herd Theatre Co and CB's Gallery

Press for Commedia Dell' Artemisia

***Winner of the Pretentious Award for Best Use of Cognitive Dissonace***

Interview: Director Jon Stancato in the Brooklyn Courier

Interview: Director Jon Stancato on the Pretentious Festival Blog

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"...the result of putting genres into an aesthetic supercollider and pressing the trigger...supple, smart...daring."

-Leonard Jacobs
The Clyde Fitch Report

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"[I]t's important that this newly written old-school hit be recognized. That rape could be funny, not tragic, who knew? The producers and writers of Stolen Chair, that's who. With swagger and grace and a man who's ribald, the show woos us and flatters us, we're never appalled...[T]his show's a must see...The only sad part about Commedia Dell' Artemisia is that it's condensed to stay under an hour."

-Aaron Riccio
PBS' New Theater Corps

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"Kiran Rikhye's script is clever...witty...and gives the audience rich food for thought. Cameron J. Oro...has an amazingly commanding voice and precisely the light quality of movement needed for such demanding work.  David Bengali...is a true virtuoso...The company is clearly on the right path."

-Ishah Janssen-Faith
NYtheatre.com

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"[D]izzying and fun...some of the intricate polysyllabic rhymes are especially impressive...Making an audience think about gender politics in the middle of a raucous seduction scene is undeniably an achievement."
"The original script, by Kiran Rikhye, is in rhymed couplets and is mostly good enough to sound like a Wilbur translation of the master [Moliere]; some of the intricate polysyllabic rhymes are especially impressive.

The staging is dizzying and fun...Commedia Dell'Artemisia makes some salient points about violence against women and society's culpability thereto. Making an audience think about gender politics in the middle of a raucous seduction scene is undeniably an achievement. The show also manages more direct satire in its final scene, a perversion of justice disguised as a trial that quickly devolves into a media circus of the sort we can all recognize. Stancato, Rikhye, and their collaborators score some points about reality TV and celebrity-obsession here. Stancato appears as the foolish, greedy father, and turns in a fine performance that's niftily rooted in movement rather than words.

Jon Campbell is appealingly dastardly as Tassi, and Alexia Vernon is effective in the soubrette role of next-door neighbor Tuzia. Jennifer Wren doubles as the title character and the pompous ignoramus judge; she's particularly delightful as the latter.

This is the first event of the month-long Stampede Festival, a showcase of under-the-radar theatre that you won't see anywhere else in town. My past experiences at Stampede have taught me that this is where I can go for theatre that will surprise and challenge me in weird and unexpected ways. This off-kilter, stylized, marching-to-its-own-drummer composition feels right at home here."

-Martin Denton
NYtheatre.com

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"...one of the most elegantly scripted 'rapes' in the history of theatre...[E]xquisite craftsmanship...never ceases to hold the audience's attention."

"...one of the most elegantly scripted 'rapes' in the history of theatre...

...Campbell brilliantly captures the bravado and arrogance of [Tassi]...Stancato likewise turns in a strong performance as Gentileschi's father...

...Jennifer Wren is magnificent as the coquettish Artemisia. She makes the transition from cautious ingénue to zealous tart effortlessly...Vernon as Tuzia is skillful in portraying the older neighbor and erst-while matchmaker...

The play, however, ultimately succeeds because of the exquisite craftsmanship apparent in Rikhye's comic dialogue. The ingenuity of the show's rhymed verse at times hints at plays by Moliere like Tartuffe and Don Juan. Rikhye's skill in developing the show's elegant multisyllabic couplets never ceases to hold the audience's attention."

-David Tenenbaum
Fifth Street Review

Production Photos:

Photos ©2007 Joseph Belschner & Aviva Meyer
(Click here to view Stolen Chair's Picasa album if the above gallery does not appear)

Excerpted from Scene 2 of Commedia Dell' Artemisia
Copyright ©2007, Kiran H. Rikhye. All rights reserved.

Artemisia pokes her head out, looking for signs of her father. Tuzia enters from behind her and boldly scans the stage.

TUZIA:Artemisia, come out now.The coast is all clear.

Artemisia enters and prepares to work.

ARTEMISIA: Now I’ll get some work done before my father gets here.

TUZIA:You’ve been painting all day.

ARTEMISIA:That’s all work done for him.

There are projects of mine that I need to begin.

If he sees us he’ll stop me, and lecture, I’m sure,

About how I’m a flirt, and must be more demure.

TUZIA:He cares for you; that’s what a father is for.

You’ll see when you’re a wife that no man will adore

You quite like your father does.

ARTEMISIA:He thinks I’m a hussy!

TUZIA:You overreact, child; he’s just being fussy.

He wants to protect you, to help find a good man.

ARTEMISIA:I see Papa hasn’t confided his plan

to you yet.

TUZIA:No, but it’s plain as can be that he wants a good match.

Any parent would hope you could find a fine catch.

ARTEMISIA:My father doesn’t.

TUZIA:Artemisia…

ARTEMISIA:It’s true!

He says that to marry’s the worst thing to do.

TUZIA:He doesn’t want you to marry?

ARTEMISIA:No.

TUZIA:How like him!

ARTEMISIA:You see?

TUZIA:Obsessed with your work though the old man may be,

Does he not think at all of your personal life?

Of the pleasures and joys of becoming a wife?

Of companionship, children…

ARTEMISIA:It seems he’s decided

He wants me unhappy.

TUZIA:You’re too harsh; he’s misguided.

Out of love he keeps your career foremost in mind.

ARTEMISIA:If only my father were ever so kind.

I’ll grant his devotion to me is substantial,

But the truth is his interest is purely financial.

I’m his lifelong apprentice if I can’t find a man.

With no one else laying claim to my earnings, he can.

TUZIA:So what does he expect? That I’ll play chaperone

‘Til the end of my days and watch you live alone?

ARTEMISIA:It’s unfair.

TUZIA:And unlikely.

ARTEMISIA:Help me; it’s hopeless.

TUZIA:It wouldn’t be so if you’d do more and mope less.

ARTEMISIA:But what can I do?

TUZIA:Come close and I’ll explain.

If your father finds out, I’ll take all of the blame.

What he doesn’t know is unlikely to hurt him.

So find you own husband, if he fears you’ll desert him.

ARTEMISIA:Where would I find a man?

Orazio enters with Tassi.

ORAZIOArtemisia, my child…

There’s a man here to meet you.

TUZIA:[To Artemisia]There. Act timid and mild.

ARTEMISIA:Why?

TUZIA:It’s part of the game. Make a good first impression.

Tuzia prods Artemisia to step forward. Artemisia smiles at Tassi.

TASSI:[To Orazio] Mm.I see what you mean. She seems full of aggression

I don’t doubt she defies you without hesitation.

ARTEMISIA:[To Tuzia] You think I should try him?

TUZIA:This man could be salvation.

He’s a painter, successful, respected, to start.

He’s handsome, and dashing; he would value your art…

And he’s here.

ARTEMISIA:Wish me luck…

Artemisia smiles demurely and approaches her father and Tassi.

TASSI:[To Orazio] It looks worse than I thought.

I can see, Gentileschi, she needs to be taught

A great deal indeed. We may need a long time…

ORAZIOOh, I hope you’re still willing!

TASSI:The honor is mine.

ORAZIO:You’re too good.

TASSI:Yes, I know.

Research

Books

Orazio and Artemisia Gentileschi by Keith Christiansen and Judith Mann
Artemisia Gentileschi by Mary D. Garrard
Artemisia: A Novel by Alexandra Lapierre

The Italian Comedy by Pierre Louis Ducharte
Lazzi: The Comic Routines of the Commedia Dell'Arte by Mel Gordon
Commedia Dell'Arte: An Actor's Handbook by John Rudlin
Tartuffe by Molière (trans. Richard Wilbur)

Films

Artemisia Gentileschi directed by Agnès Merlet

Websites

Historical background on the rape trial
Artemisia Gentileschi's gallery and biography on the Artchive
Orazio Gentileschi's gallery and biography on the Web Gallery of Art
Agostino's Tassi's gallery and biography on the Web Gallery of Art