The Mannequin at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop

We Happy Few Productions presents The Mannequin, a French farce written by Germaine de Staël and translated by Vivian Folkenflick, running at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop May 22 through June 6. Written while de Staël was exiled from France for her opposition to Napoleon's regime, the play follows Sophie, who must outwit a ridiculous suitor her father has chosen for her — proving he'd rather marry a mannequin than a real woman — while underlying the comedy with a pointed commentary on women's marital rights in early 19th-century Europe. The production is directed by WHF Artistic Director Kerry McGee and choreographed by Debora Crabbe, with a cast including Gill Rydholm, Em German, Esteban Marmolejo-Suarez, and Andrew Quilpa. The Mannequin is part of the Expand the Canon play collection, which works to uncover classic plays by women and underrepresented genders.