Written and Directed by Gary Graves A Central Works Method Play
Produced in: 2010
This world premiere puts Niccolo Machiavelli’s precepts to the test. Are human beings essentially good or fundamentally untrustworthy? Does the end always justify the means? What practical alternative is there to the ruthless efficiency of tyranny?
Background of the play: “He who considers it necessary to secure himself in his new principality, to win friends, either by force or fraud, to make himself beloved and feared by his people, to be followed and revered by his soldiers, to exterminate those who have the power to hurt him, to change the old order of things for a new one, to be severe and gracious, to destroy a disloyal soldiery and create a new one, to maintain friendships with kings and princes in such a way that they must help him with zeal and offend him with caution, cannot find a finer example than the actions of Duke Cesare Borgia.” —Machiavelli, The Prince, Chapter VII.
Original script developed in collaboration with Richard Frederick, Michael Navarra & Jan Zvaifler.
This play is available for licensing! Please contact us for details.
Mark Farrell*
Cole Alexander Smith
Costume design: Tammy Berlin
Sound design: Gregory Scharpen
Lighting design: Gary Graves
Stage Manager: Louel Senores
* Member Actors’ Equity Association
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“…a captivating drama about power and its effect on character.” (Rachel Swan, East Bay Express)
“Central Works probably sets the highest artistic standard in the Bay area for consistently intelligent, provocative, and relevant drama.” (George Heymont, My Cultural Landscape)
“…fenomenal producción traída por el grupo Central Works para el verdadero deleite mental del público que adora de excelente teatro.” (Mario Echevarria, SF Tribune)
“a smart exploration of politics and ethics” (Chris Jenson, SF Weekly)
Read Machiavelli’s original masterpiece: The Prince
“Obama You’re No Machiavelli” (Michael Lind, Salon, August 18, 2009)
