International Shakespeare Center and Teatro Paraguas Present THE DUCHESS OF AMALFI'S STEWARD

As part of the ongoing Long Dead But Well Read series of readings of plays by contemporary playwrights of Shakespeare, the International Shakespeare Center and Teatro Paraguas present The Duchess of Amalfi's Steward, by Lope De Vega.

Written in 1604, Lope's play is based on the true story of Giovanna d'Aragona, Duchess of Amalfi, her marriage to her steward Antonio Beccadelli, and her tragic murder with her three children fathered by Beccadelli on the orders of her brother, Cardinal Luigi d'Aragona, in 1510.

Lope's version differs greatly from the play The Duchess of Malfi, written by John Webster in 1614. Webster's version highlights the violence and terror of the honor killings ordered by her brother in response to the Duchess marrying beneath her station; Lope focuses on the transcendent love and familial bonds that unite the two lovers of different social rank. In the play, the two manage to hide their marriage for three years, until a fateful mistake exposes them and leads to a tragic end.

Argos MacCallum directs this offering, which is part of the Santa Fe Shakespeare Summer 2022. Mairi Chanel plays the Duchess, and Ariana Karp plays the Steward, with a supporting cast of sixteen actors.