The Maid's Tragedy

February 18 – March 6, 2016

Heartbreak. Betrayal. Revenge. When the King of Rhodes commands young Amintor to break his betrothal with his love Aspatia and marry the beautiful Evadne, a chain of horrific events begins. Aspatia, jilted and desperate to die, longs for justice to right her wrongs. Evadne, secretly the King’s mistress, loses all honor when her torrid affair comes to light, and only vengeance will restore it. Melantius, Rhodes’ greatest warrior and Evadne’s brother, swears restitution for his defiled sister and the betrayed Amintor and will defy a King and God Himself to get it. Passionate, sexy, and twisted, this Jacobean tragedy will keep audiences entranced to the bitter end.

To celebrate Brave Spirits’ fifth year of production, co-founders Victoria Reinsel and Charlene V. Smith return to the stage together as Aspatia and Evadne, two women determined to get what they want in a world ruled by the whims of men.

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The Sanctuary at Convergence
1801 N. Quaker Lane
Alexandria, VA 22302

Cast

Gregory Atkin
Keegan Cassady
Gary DuBreuil
James T. Majewski

Brendan McMahon
Mary Myers
Victoria Reinsel
Ian Blackwell Rogers

Charlene V. Smith
Rebecca Speas
John Stange

Production Team

Angela Kay Pirko Director
Lauren Patton Stage Manager
Cassie Ash Dramaturg

Heather Whitpan Costume Designer
Casey Kaleba Fight Director
E-hui Woo Lighting Designer

Eric McMorris Set Designer
Zach Roberts Music Director

Director Angela Kay Pirko’s production benefits from the talents of Reinsel and Smith, the co-founders of Brave Spirits, a five-year-old company that focuses on works from Shakespeare’s era. Reinsel brings out the anguish of Aspatia; there’s real pathos in a moment that reveals the disconsolate noblewoman leaning against her father (Gary DuBreuil) as he tries to comfort her. And Smith’s brash but vulnerable Evadne is compelling, particularly in scenes that show her squaring off against men.

Celia Wren, The Washington Post

Under the robust, effective direction of Angela Kay Pirko, The Maid’s Tragedy is forceful, determined, and at times comically bawdy … 4.5 stars

David Siegel, DC Metro Theater Arts

Writing a play for performance by the King’s Men, who likely first staged The Maid’s Tragedy, meant that Beaumont and Fletcher would need to incorporate into the action a clown making cynical observations of the society he encounters. Calianax, Aspatia’s father and keeper of the fort at Rhodes, fills this role, and Gary DuBreuil masters the part.

Eric Minton, Shakespeareances.com