THE CORSICAN BROTHERS OR THE FATAL DUEL Comes to Placer Rep

Conjoined identical twins separated at birth but who can feel each other’s pain, sword fighting, feuding families and romance are key features in Placer Repertory Theater’s adventurous interactive theatrical experience, at which patrons shout “boos” and “hurrahs” or volunteer to play small roles onstage alongside leading actors in the newly adapted version of the melodrama The Corsican Brothers or The Fatal Duel.  Coined in 1852 as “a legendary drama, in three acts,” Placer Rep’s Corsican Brothers opens this February 21 and 22 in Rocklin, California to engage audiences of all ages.

Alexandre Dumas, known for his swashbuckling, romantic and dramatic writings, including The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, penned The Corsican Brothers novella in 1844, which was adapted in 1852 by the famous 19th century Irish playwright Dion Boucicault. Critically acclaimed, Boucicault’s play opened in the Princess Theater in London, with Charles Kean in the lead for 236 performances, then ran at several other English theatres, and went on to perform at the Adelphi Theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland, and at the Queen's Royal Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. Queen Victoria saw the play several times and her husband, Prince Albert, commissioned artist Edward Henry Corbould to paint the second act duel scene from the play as a birthday gift for his Queen.

Adapted for area audiences by Placer Rep’s resident playwright/director T.S. Forsyth to be played by a company of four actors, the selection of The Corsican Brothers for Placer Rep’s 2024-2025 season marks a continuation of this season’s exploration of the artistic director’s theme “Dark Ambitions.” Family feuds and a villain’s intent uncover additional facets of the “Dark Ambitions” theme, which was explored in Placer Rep’s Fall 2024 production of Macbeth a la Ubu and will continue to be highlighted in the Spring production Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet. The cast members for The Corsican Brothers include: Stacey Winn (previously Lady Macbeth with Placer Rep), Mark Kushnir (Dr. Watson in Spring 2024 with Placer Rep), Teresa Stirling Forsyth (last seen in Placer Rep’s Sherlock Holmes: The Speckled Band) and Carson Sloan, who is new to Placer Rep, but is known as a performer for and recent graduate of William Jessup University.

The opening run for The Corsican Brothers is February 21 and 22 at Rocklin’s Parkview Event Room at Johnson-Springview Park, which is transformed into a black-box theater, with pipe and drape, costume pieces, music and melodrama placards to immerse the audience in this active script-in-hand performance. Patrons are also invited to join the actors onstage to play small roles to enhance the storytelling fun. To book the show for your venue after February 22, contact boxoffice@placerrep.org. 

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