"[D]izzying and fun...some of the intricate polysyllabic rhymes are especially impressive...Making an audience think about gender politics in the middle of a raucous seduction scene is undeniably an achievement." -Martin Denton, NYtheatre.com

"...one of the most elegantly scripted 'rapes' in the history of theatre...[E]xquisite craftsmanship...never ceases to hold the audience's attention." -David Tenenbaum, 5th Street Review

In a daring attempt to rival Moliere's greatest work and single-handedly revive the tradition of Commedia dell'Arte, Stolen Chair presents Commedia dell'Artemisia, a masked farce in rhyming couplets, satirizing the controversial rape trial of Italian Renaissance painter Artemisia Gentileschi. As the teenage virtuosa Artemisia tries to escape the clutches of her miserly father, she becomes entwined with Agostino Tassi, a master painter and criminal who would rather screw than woo. Transforming these complex historical figures into commedia stock characters, Stolen Chair irreverently eviscerates history, hypocrisy, rape, romance, art and artifice.

Read director Jon Stancato's (very pretentious) interview for the Courier.

Kinderspiel was accepted into Soho Think Tank's 6th Floor Series for a staged reading on June 24, and will enjoy a full run at UNDER St. Marks in late September.

Set in the demimonde of Weimar Berlin, one cabaret offers access to the ultimate taboo: watching adults play as children. Stolen Chair presents the world's greatest children's story, told exclusively for an adult audience. After all, why should childhood be wasted on the young?

It's that time of year when Stolen Chair ever-so-subtly asks you to dig deep into your pockets to support one of NYC's most ambitious indie theatre companies (that's us!).

For those who want to maximize their gift and minimize the impact this gift has on their wallets, we've introduced recurring monthly donations. You can also support the company by wearing our merchandise or by using Stolen Chair's Giveline account the next time you want to purchase movies, music, books, electronics, etc online.

Visit donate.stolenchair.org this instant and we'll try to make this whole fundraiser thing as quick and painless as possible.

"I started writing in verse when I discovered that the rhythms in my head had to come out or I’d eat my fingers off ..."
(Read more from acclaimed verse playwright Kirk Wood Bromley)

"...I love playing Tartaglia. The simple stupidity of this character appeals to me."
(Read more from mask-maker Jonathan Becker)