Central Works 2023 Season Opens With The Premiere of MONDRAGOLA

CENTRAL WORKS 2023 SEASON opens with the premiere of MONDRAGOLA running March 18-April 16 (previews Mar 16 & 17) a new comedy from CW co-director/resident playwright Gary Graves. The play imagines an impoverished and exiled Niccolo Machiavelli in his later years, trying to get back into the good graces of the15th century Medici Court in Florence by presenting a farcical sex comedy he has written. Unwittingly, he steps into an attempt at a political coup. Politics, and playwriting, is a dangerous game! Performing Thur & Fri 8pm, Sat 7pm, Sun 5pm. In the historic Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Avenue, Berkeley.

Directed by Jan Zvaifler, MONDRAGOLA features actors Monique Crawford, Edwin Jacobs, Rudy Guerrero (member AEA) and Steve Ortiz. The production has stage management by Natalia Rivera-Ramos, costume design by Tammy Berlin, prop design by Debbie Shelley and sound design by Gregory Scharpen.

"Most people don't know that the guy we think of as the author of The Prince, the infamous 'Handbook for Tyrants,' was also the most popular playwright in his day (50 years before Shakespeare hit the stage)" remarks playwright Gary Graves, continuing "History tells us Machiavelli's play, LA MONDDRAGOLA (or, The Mandrake Root) was first performed at a private soirée for an elite audience in Florence in 1522. I wondered what might have happened behind the scenes, backstage, in the 'Theater of Machiavelli."'

Central Works 33rd season is filled with cons and conspiracies - 3 world premiere plays, 2 of which are written by women and developed in the CW Writers Workshop. Central Works is committed to premiering new works inspired by social issues, contemporary texts, and history.

MONDRAGOLA written by Gary Graves Mar 18-Apr 16 (previews Mar 16 & 17)

World Premiere #70: a comedy about Machiavelli directed by Jan Zvaifler

Days/Times: Thur & Fri 8pm, Sat 7pm, Sun 5pm

MONDRAGOLA features actors Monique Crawford, Edwin Jacobs, Rudy Guerrero (member AEA), and Steve Ortiz. The production has stage management by Natalia Rivera-Ramos, costume design by Tammy Berlin, prop design by Debbie Shelley and sound design by Gregory Scharpen.

Mondragola is Italian for "The Love Root" (an aphrodisiac). The man history will come to know as the author of The Prince, the infamous "Handbook for Tyrants," Niccolo Machiavelli, is in exile and struggling to get by as an itinerant playwright writing farcical sex comedies to make ends meet. But a big break comes when he's invited to present a new play at an elite soirée in Florence. Little does he know, his play is merely bait to lure the Cardinal of Florence into an assassination plot. When Machiavelli realizes what's afoot, he must choose: is he with the conspirators, or against them? Either way, he could see his head wind up on the chopping block. Politics, and playwriting, is a dangerous game!