THE REAL MACHIAVELLI Opens Tonight at 13th Street Repertory Theater

In the middle of an election season of clashing egos and outrageous demagogues, comes a new play about the writing of the most infamous book ever written about dirty politics, "The Prince." Cheryl King, artistic director of Stage Left Studio, will direct and perform in Monica Bauer's new play, The Real Machiavelli, opening tonight, March 4th, for a limited run at 13th Street Repertory Theater.

The Real Machiavelli is a feminist fable about the power of love, and the love of power. Award-winning playwright Monica Bauer (Emerging Playwright Award, Urban Stages, for "My Occasion of Sin") crafts a sexy, intelligent re-imagining of history. Everyone knows that "The Prince" was written by Niccolo Machiavelli, an Italian civil servant. Machiavelli was hoping to impress the current dictator ruling his city of Florence by writing a practical guide to Renaissance politics, stripped of any pretense of justice or morality. "The Prince" is a how-to manual of backstabbing and betrayal, a guide to doing unto others before they can do unto you. The book's been studied by politicians from Mussolini to Donald Trump. But what if this infamous book had been written by Machiavelli's brilliant mistress, who might just decide to go public, and take credit for writing it?

The workshop production features Ivette Dumeng as Machiavelli's mistress Francesca, John Fico as his supposedly best friend Alphonso, Cheryl King as his sex-starved wife Marietta, and Dikran Tulaine as the recently tortured and possibly suicidal Niccolo Machiavelli. Josh Moser plays the young Prince Guiliano Medici, and Jack McKeane and Randall Rodriguez play multiple roles in the style of Italian commedia.

Ms. Dumeng (Francesca) is the artistic director at Nylon Fusion Theater Company, and was nominated for Best Actress in Cygnus ISA Summer Con5t3ll4tion at the Planet Connections Theater Festivity.

John Fico (Alphonso), a former member of the acting company The Bats at The Flea Theater, was nominated for Outstanding Actor in a Solo Show for another Monica Bauer play, Made for Each Other, which he has performed to five-star reviews in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, United Solo Festival, and the Orlando Fringe Festival.

Dikran Tulaine (Machiavelli) is an English-Armenian actor, storyteller and playwright, best known for appearances on television, such as the recurring guest role of Max on the NBC series The Blacklist (2013-15), and in the films G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013), Black Knight (2001) and Seeking Justice (2011).

Ms. King (Marietta/director) directed the Drama Desk-nominated Southern Gothic Novel, by Frank Blocker, and produced That Play, Tom Gualtieri's solo Macbeth, also nominated by Drama Desk for Unique Theatrical Experience. She is a well-known multi-hyphenate, performing in two solo shows of her own, and was recognized by The New York Times as "the matriarch of the Off-Off Broadway solo show scene."

Performances are at 7 pm on March 4, 5, 11 and 12.

The Real Machiavelli is an Equity-approved showcase.

Tickets are $18 at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2496230