David Greenspan's solo version of Gertrude Stein's Four Saints in Three Acts begins previews September 15 at the Target Margin Theater. Produced by the Lucille Lortel Theatre, the show will officially open Off-Broadway September 19 with performances scheduled through October 9.
Portraying 66 different roles, the work is Greenspan's final offering in his trilogy of solo interpretations. Previous installments include Barry Connors' The Patsy (revived in 2022 at The Off-Broadway Transport Group) and the six-hour drama Strange Interlude by Eugene O'Neill.
Four Saints in Three Acts was originally created as an opera by Virgil Thomson in 1928, but Greenspan will perform only the script. The play, said to have "no discernible plot," follows the saints as they use language and expressions to depict the human experience.
"I am convinced that the script itself for Four Saints in Three Acts has theatrical merit and that performing it without the music will bring out its unheard nuances and subtleties, both dramatic and comedic,” said Greenspan in an earlier statement.
Director Ken Rus Schmoll added, "Four Saints in Three Acts is an opportunity to release yourself from the boundaries of traditional theatre through David Greenspan grappling with the singular theatrical imagination of Gertrude Stein. By turns hilarious, absurd, and introspective, this work takes you on an unexpected ride via language and through human experience."
The production features dramaturgy by Jay Stull and scenic and lighting design by Yuki Nakase Link, with support from Target Margin Theater. The production stage manager is Michal V. Mendelson, and the production manager is William Adams.
For tickets and more information, visit Lortel.org.
