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For play inquiries, please contact:
Michael Finkle William Morris Endeavor 212.903.1144 MFinkle@WMEAgency.com |
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Behold, A Negress
Synopsis
Set in Paris and spanning the heights of the French Revolution through the beginnings of Napoleon's reign, BEHOLD, A NEGRESS imagines an intimate relationship between real-life painter, Marie-Guillemine Benoist, and her (fictional) muse, Verdell, a formerly enslaved black woman. Inspired by the execution of eighteenth-century feminist and playwright Olympe de Gouges, Marie and Verdell maneuver the codes and corridors of women's power in post-revolutionary France in pursuit of their own liberty, equality, and fraternity. However, when Marie's ambition and desire for artistic recognition overshadow Verdell's sense of justice and personal integrity, the women find themselves at odds just as revolutionary as the political world that surrounds them. BEHOLD, A NEGRESS is a passionate and daring examination of the challenges of intersectional feminism and the role of art during times of great social unrest and political upheaval.
Cast Break Down
2W
Characters
Marie (French, 30s) – Painter, aristocratic born, feminist, abolitionist, Royalist.
Verdell (African, 30s) – Artist’s companion, model, a revolutionary, formerly enslaved, free.
Development History
Set in Paris and spanning the heights of the French Revolution through the beginnings of Napoleon's reign, BEHOLD, A NEGRESS imagines an intimate relationship between real-life painter, Marie-Guillemine Benoist, and her (fictional) muse, Verdell, a formerly enslaved black woman. Inspired by the execution of eighteenth-century feminist and playwright Olympe de Gouges, Marie and Verdell maneuver the codes and corridors of women's power in post-revolutionary France in pursuit of their own liberty, equality, and fraternity. However, when Marie's ambition and desire for artistic recognition overshadow Verdell's sense of justice and personal integrity, the women find themselves at odds just as revolutionary as the political world that surrounds them. BEHOLD, A NEGRESS is a passionate and daring examination of the challenges of intersectional feminism and the role of art during times of great social unrest and political upheaval.
Cast Break Down
2W
Characters
Marie (French, 30s) – Painter, aristocratic born, feminist, abolitionist, Royalist.
Verdell (African, 30s) – Artist’s companion, model, a revolutionary, formerly enslaved, free.
Development History
- New Play Development Workshop at UNC's Department of Dramatic Art and PlayMakers Repertory Company - May 2019
