THE PASSION ACCORDING TO JANAIR Will Premiere in November

This fall, Group Dot BR, New York’s only Brazilian theater company, will bring a daring new voice to the city’s cultural stage with the Off-Off-Broadway premiere of The Passion According to Janair. Inspired by Clarice Lispector’s landmark novel The Passion According to G.H., the production shifts the spotlight to Janair—the Black maid whose quiet departure sets Lispector’s narrative in motion—placing her at the center of the story.

The Passion According to Janair is presented as part of HERE’s inaugural HERE Hosts series, an annual program showcasing new work from extraordinary artists, ensembles, and independent companies working across disciplines, featuring artists who share values alignment and strong creative kinship.

Portrayed by acclaimed Brazilian actress Ana Carbatti and directed by Andressa Furletti, Janair steps forward to speak directly to audiences—her testimony transforming a sidelined character into a model of resilience and empowerment.

“Through Janair’s voice, we confront the realities of invisibility and labor that echo not just in Brazil but across the world. By giving her presence, we transform absence into visibility and silence into expression,” said director Andressa Furletti.

In Lispector’s original novel, Janair’s existence is revealed in fragments— her room, her absence. On stage, these fragments are reassembled into a living narrative, evoking the harsh conditions of domestic workers: small, dimly lit rooms, undervalue labor, and systemic inequities.