Mondragola

written by Gary Graves

directed by Jan Zvaifler

Mar 18–Apr 16

World Premiere #70: a comedy about Machiavelli

*Mondragola: Italian for “The Love Root” (an aphrodisiac)

Things aren’t going so well for Niccolo Machiavelli. He’s in exile. The man history will come to know as the author of The Prince, the infamous “Handbook for Tyrants,” is struggling to get by as an itinerant playwright, writing farcical sex comedies to make ends meet. But a big break comes when he’s invited to present a new play at an elite soiree in Florence. Little does he know, his play is merely bait to lure the Cardinal of Florence into an assassination plot. When Machiavelli realizes what’s afoot, he must choose: is he with the conspirators, or against them? Either way, he could see his head wind up on the chopping block. Politics, and playwriting, is a dangerous game!