Creative Team
co-presented with French Institute Alliance Française
in partnership with LeFrak Center, Lakeside and Prospect Park Alliance
Starring
Raúl E. Esparza, Samira Wiley
With
Kaliswa Brewster, Toccarra Cash, Chris Henry Coffey, Naomi Lorrain, Jared McNeill, Chloé Noble, Jennifer Mudge, Rosemary Prinz, Carter Redwood
Director: Lucie Tiberghien
Producer: Garth Belcon
Production Designer: Kris Stone
Production Manager: Thyra Hartshorn
Video Programing and Technology Consultant: Andy Carluccio
Sound Designer/Composer: Paul Pinto
Animation: Emily Rawson and Jonathan Kokotajlo
Visual Director/Advisor: John Freeman
A Statement from Lucie Tiberghien & Garth Belcon
We are disturbed and appalled by the corrosive and dangerously divisive nature of religious double standards and the questionable moral righteousness we are currently witnessing. Turning to Tartuffe, with this company of actors and creative team has been healing. We aim to shed light on the power of faith, love and respect for every human life, versus religious posturing for economic or political gain.
Synopsis
Tartuffe: a dubiously pious crook, happy to use the bible as a prop for personal gain.
Orgon: a naive, lost, and aging patriarch, lusting for his fleeting power.
When these two forces meet in Molière’s timely satire TARTUFFE, division and chaos ensues, until lies are exposed and fallacy is extracted from the home.
Praise for Tartuffe
In a New York Times Critic’s Pick headlined “When Tartuffe meets Trump, It’s Revolutionary,” Jesse Green raves, “This is an implicitly political Tartuffe, full of delight for our undelightful time.” Summarizing the production, he writes: “With allusions to the White House as well as Black Lives Matter, it tears down walls to rebuild a classic.”
"[Samira] Wiley makes a fine, dapper foil for Tartuffe’s [Raúl E. Esparza] excesses, gracefully charting how Orgon’s blissed-out gullibility crumbles into humiliated outrage."
“Providing a powerhouse performance that explodes beyond her small Zoom box is Toccarra Cash as Orgon’s charming, knowing wife, Elmire. Between them stands Raúl E. Esparza in the title role. He delights in playing every false note of Tartuffe’s guff with the twinkle of a Tony nominated star.”
TARTUFFE
Translated by Richard Wilbur
June 27th, 2020
“With allusions to the White House as well as Black Lives Matter, it tears down walls to rebuild a classic.”
-The New York Times
This program was made possible through the generous support of the French Cultural Services of the French Embassy.
We thank our season major supporters: The de Groot Foundation, Samira Wiley, Bloomberg Philanthropies and Elizabeth and Jonathan Weiswasser.
We wish to express our gratitude to the Performers’ Unions:
ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION
AMERICAN GUILD OF MUSICAL ARTISTS
AMERICAN GUILD OF VARIETY ARTISTS
SAG-AFTRA
through Theatre Authority, Inc. for their cooperation in permitting the Artists to appear on this program.
Graphic Design: Unterdruck - Liane Fredel