​A masked farce in rhyming couplets, freely inspired by the infamous 1612 rape trial of painter Artemisia Gentileschi.

Attempting to free the teenage virtuosa Artemisia from the clutches of her miserly father, the Gentileschis’ neighbor Tuzia procures for her a potential husband. She choosesAgostino Tassi, a painter, set designer, and criminal, who would rather screw than woo.

Transforming these complex historical figures into commedia stock characters, Stolen Chair irreverently eviscerates history, hypocrisy, rape, romance, art and artifice.

One of the most elegantly scripted rapes in the history of theatre...Exquisite...

David Tenanbaum, Fifth Street Review

Clever...witty...gives the audience rich food for thought.

The result of putting genres in a super-collider and pressing the trigger... smart... supple... daring...

Leonard Jacobs, The Clyde Fitch Report

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
Featuring: Jon Campbell, Jon Stancato, Alexia Vernon, and Jennifer Wren*

*appears courtesy of Actors’ Equity