They’ve brought you everything from singing presidents, manic radio talk show hosts, dying kings, and biological-clock-conscious hipsters. This winter though, The Wilbury Theatre Group tackles it’s edgiest production yet set in the world of professional wrestling.
Artistic Director Josh Short directs a stellar cast of Providence favorites, including Ben Gracia, Jo An Peralta, Vince Petronio, Stuart Wilson, and Amos Hamrick as the man himself, the indomitable, the indestructible, the indecipherable (?) THE Wrestling Champion, Chad Deity.
Wrestling for theatre fans, or theatre for wrestling fans? Whatever it is, somebody’s getting powerbombed. Read the full press release here.
ABOUT THE PLAY
In wrestling, as in life, behind every winner lies a really excellent loser. This smart, hilarious powerslam of a play from Pulitzer Prize nominee Kristoffer Diaz features Macedonio “The Mace” Guerra, a middle rank Puerto Rican pro-wrestler who’s made a career of being that loser. He thinks he’s found his ticket to the big time in a charismatic Indian kid from Brooklyn whom he recruits as the perfect foil to wrestling star Chad Deity. But when their wrestling rivalry is used to exploit racial stereotypes to raise ratings, Mace wonders: is swallowing his integrity too high a price for the rewards of the media spotlight?
The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity had its world premiere in 2009 at Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago before moving to Second Stage in New York. In addition to a finalist of for the Pultizer Prize, this thrilled new work by playwright Kristoffer Diaz has already been lauded with the 2011 New York Times Play Prize, the Obie Award for Best New American Play and theLucille Lortel Award for Best New Play.
“A thrilling entry into the brave new world of bright lights, racial complexities and hot new plays.” – The Chicago Tribune
“The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity has the delicious crackle and pop of a galloping, honest-to-god, all american satire.” -The New York Times
“You don’t have to like wrestling to love The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity… Kristoffer Diaz’s visceral satire brings big-time wrestling onstage in eminently theatrical style.” -San Francisco Examiner
The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity runs January 24 through February 9 at the Butcher Block Mill, 25 Eagle Street, Providence RI. Tickets: $20-$25; preview performances (January 24-27) just $15-$20. Discounts for groups of 10 or more, students and seniors. Tickets at 401-400-7100 or thewilburygroup.org.