Tony Award winner André De Shields (Hadestown, The Wiz) will lead a new intimate Off-Broadway revival of Moliére's Tartuffe. To be offered to just 100 guests per performance, the revival will transform House of the Redeemer on Manhattan's East Side beginning October 1, officially opening October 9. The limited run will continue through November 23.
Joining De Shields in the cast will be 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. Further casting is to be announced.
The classic satire, first performed in 1664, follows the titular Tartuffe (De Shields) as he misrepresents himself as poor for his own gain, and the outing of his deceit. Keaton Wooden will direct the upcoming revival, which will feature 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 see a new version of Tartuffe by Lucas Hnath and starring Matthew Broderick at New York Theatre Workshop.
“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.”
“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.
Tickets are at TartuffeNYC.com.
