The Black Hole Theatre Company Presents

 The Gypsy Woman by Don Nigro & Other Lazzi

November 15-19, 22-26

at the Black Hole Theatre

Our season opens with a contemporary reworking of a classic Commedia dell’arte scenario. In Don Nigro’s version, Isabella and her servant Pedrolino return to Naples after ten years and decide to impersonate gypsies in order to find out what has happened while they were gone. An outrageous farce ensues complete with “slapsticks” and all of the usual commedia dell’arte characters.  This is a journey through love, identity crisis, insanity, the secret of life, and a very unfortunate recipe for magical cookies.

“And as to the question of whether the chicken or the egg came first, it seems to me quite clear that it must have been the chicken, for I can see God creating a chicken, but I find it hard to visualize him laying an egg.”                                                        – The Elderly Scholar Gratiano from The Gypsy Woman

Playwright Don Nigro is known for a highly diverse body of dramatic literature, work that is often mysterious and unclassifiable, work like The Gypsy Woman. The play is a contemporary take on a story of “love,” yet influenced by commedia dell’Arte, a physical improvisational style first performed by the Gelosi troupe 400 years ago in Italy and France.

Jaclyn Kozak will take the director’s chair for this racy production. “Forms of comedy owe much to commedia dell’arte and some of the conventions were utilized by playwrights such as Shakespeare and Moliere,” notes Kozak.  She adds that the play is highly-imaginative, original, smart, and more importantly, funny, promising to be a crowd pleaser.

Performances at the Black Hole Theatre, lower level of University College.

7:00 pm Nov 15th and 22nd

8:00pm Nov 16th-19th, 22nd -26th

Tickets: $15 Adults, $12 Students and Seniors Tickets can either be purchased at the door or in advance. For reservations and group discounts contact the 24hr Box Office at 474-6880.