The Company Theatre Of Rochester To Open Season With VENUS IN FUR

The Company Theatre of Rochester will launch its 2025–26 season with Venus in Fur by David Ives, running September 26–October 12 at its new location, 28 Lawn St. in Rochester, NY. Tickets are now available.

Directed by Artistic Director Carl Del Buono, the play stars Kit Prelewitz as Vanda Jordan and Matthew Walls as Thomas Novachek. What begins as a routine audition quickly transforms into a dangerous power struggle, as the lines between director and actress—and between reality and performance—begin to blur. Ives’ sharp, layered script has been hailed for its exploration of gender, power, and desire.

Del Buono, who has long wanted to direct the piece, reflected: “I read this play shortly after Nina Arianda, a fellow AMDA graduate, won the Tony Award for her portrayal of Vanda. The way Ives explores gender dynamics by playing with genre and style is, to me, utterly brilliant. We are extremely lucky to have such a passionate and talented team working on this project. Matthew Walls and Kit Prelewitz are absolutely at the top of their game.”

The production will offer a pay-what-you-wish performance on Thursday, October 2, and an ASL-interpreted performance on Saturday, October 11, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the Rochester Deaf Kitchen.