The stamp collecting game just turned cutthroat. Running at Blackfriars Theatre March 22nd - April 7th, Mauritius tells the story of two estranged sisters who, after their mother's death, come across a rare stamp collection containing the crown jewel(s) for collectors. One sister tries to collect on the windfall, while the other resists for sentimental reasons. In this suspenseful thriller, a seemingly simple sale becomes dangerous when three seedy, high-stakes collectors enter the sisters' world, each willing to do anything to claim the rare find as their own.
This production is directed by Brian Coughlin, who encourages audiences to take a chance on this unknown drama. "If you were to forgo seeing this show because you heard it is 'about stamps,' you would be cheating yourself out of an exceptional theatrical experience.
What drives the story is indeed the sale of these rare stamps, but the deeper, more meaningful subtext in this narrative is the undeterred need to reconcile the hauntings of one's past and the lengths a person will go to find personal contentment, no matter the consequence or cost." Coughlin has directed a number of Blackfriars favorites in the past few seasons, including Proof (2016), Death of a Salesman (2017), and Glengarry Glen Ross (2018).
Mauritius ran on Broadway in the fall of 2007, and the New York Times alluded to the show's hook in their review: "Mauritius caters efficiently to a hunger that Broadway hasn't been gratifying in recent years. That's the corkscrew-twist drama of suspense, a genre that was a theatrical staple for much of the 20th century." The playwright, Theresa Rebeck (creator of the television show Smash), is one of the most widely produced writers alive today. Mauritius is one of three Rebeck plays to arrive on Broadway, along with Seminar (2011) and Dead Accounts (2012).
The Mauritius cast includes: Fiona Criddle (Jackie); Danny Hoskins (Dennis); Stephanie Sheak (Mary); J. Simmons (Sterling); Jeff Siuda (Philip)
TICKET PRICES: $28.50 - $36.50
Tickets are available in person at Blackfriars Theatre, online at www.blackfriars.org, or by calling (585) 454-1260. Senior and student discounts are available online or through the Box Office. If available, tickets can be purchased at the door beginning one hour prior to performance. Box Office hours are Monday through Friday, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover are accepted at no additional charge.
PHOTOS: Credit: Megan Colombo
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