Scaramouche
“a fun theatrical fandango”
“**** With a suave lead, strong ensemble, swords galore, and solid source material adapted with eloquence and levity, Scaramouche is certainly a swashbuckling musical that will entertain. ”
“**** Don’t miss it!”
“**** Scaramouche is absolutely worth the trip.”
photos by Steven Townshend of Distant Era
music and lyrics by Kingsley Day
book by Kingsley Day and James Glossman
directed by Beth Wolf
May 1 - June 14, 2026
PRODUCTION GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY:
KAREN HANSEN & SUSIE STEPHENSON
A delightful, romantic & comedic romp with duels, nobility and no-good actors. Based on the rip-roaring novel by Rafael Sabatini. Radicalized by his friend’s brutal murder in revolutionary France, a sardonic provincial lawyer repeatedly evades the law by taking on a series of new identities—on orator, traveling comic actor, and finally a master swordsman to avenge his friend’s murder and rescue his love.
World Premiere
Cast & Characters
Ethan Smith André-Louis Moreau, a provincial lawyer, later known as Scaramouche
*Henry Michael Odum The Manager: Quintin de Gavrillac, André-Louis’s guardian and Aline’s uncle Pierre Binet, leader of a traveling commedia dell’arte troupe, Bertrand des Amis, a fencing master
Connor Ripperger Philippe de Vilmorin, André’s closest friend, The King’s Lieutenant at Redon, Léandre, a member of the Binet theatrical troupe, Chevalier de Cazalès, a nobleman, A Fencing Pupil
Shea Lee A Peasant, Benoîte, Gavrillac’s maidservant, Columbine, a member of the Binet theatrical troupe, The Lyon Delegate to the National Assembly
Laura Michele Erle Aline de Gavrillac, orphaned niece of Quintin de Gavrillac
Kent Joseph The Marquis de la Tour, a powerful nobleman, a member of the Binet theatrical troupe
Rushil Byatnal Chevalier de Chabrillane, the Marquis’s nephew, A Revolutionary Speaker, Pierrot, a member of the Binet theatrical troupe
Ed Rutherford Monsieur de Chapelier, a friend of Philippe, Harlequin, a member of the Binet theatrical troupe
India Huy Climène, Binet’s daughter and a member of his theatrical troupe, Jacqueline, Madame de Sautron’s maidservant
Alicia Berneche Madame, a member of the Binet theatrical troupe, Madame de Sautron, Aline’s aunt
*Member of Actors’ Equity
Cast
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Crew
Kingsley Day (composer-lyricist, co-librettist) has premiered new musicals (Text Me, Aztec Human Sacrifice, State Street), composed incidental music (Prometheus Bound, The Tempest), acted (Sir Harcourt inLondon Assurance, Doc Swain inPeyton Place, title role in Pudd’n head Wilson), and music directed (State Street, I’ve Got the World on a String, Oh, Boy!) at City Lit. His musicalSummer Stock Murderand comedyTour de Farcehave been produced multiple times across the country, and abroad. Resident director of the Savoyaires, directing their last six Gilbert & Sullivan productions. Kingsley’s reconstruction of Chopin’s posthumous F Minor Mazurka is published by Hal Leonard, and his biographical novel Music’s Guiding Handis published by Mentoris.
James Glossman (Book) Most recent:Co-writer (w/Tom Hanks) This World of Tomorrow, The Shed, NYC (featuring Hanks, Kelli O’Hara, Ruben Santiago-Hudson) fall 2025. Various previous: Director/co-writer, Shostakovich and the Black Monk (w/Emerson Quartet & Sean Astin, Len Cariou, Jeff DeMunn, Richard Thomas) at Ravinia, Wolf Trap, Tanglewood, etc. Adaptor/Director, Raymond Chandler’s Trouble Is My Business (Portland Stage), Kate Atkinson’s Behind the Scenes at the Museum (Luna Stage), Jim Lehrer’s Special Prisoner (w/William Schallert) & Flying Crows (Playwrights). Director, John Cleese’s Bang Bang! (US Premiere w/Sean Astin & Scott Shepherd), Jeff Daniels’ Flint and Guest Artist (east coast premiere w/John Astin), Nicky Glossman’s The Road to Jerusalem (world premiere w/Adam LeFevre, Ken Marks & Jay O Sanders), Shadowland Stages, NY. Theatre faculty, Johns Hopkins University.
Beth Wolf (Director) (she/her) is a twice Jeff-nominated Chicago theatre director as well as the founder and Producing Artistic Director of Midsommer Flight. Freelance: The Book Of Will (Promethean Theatre Ensemble); Silent Sky, Outside Mullingar, and The Roommate (Citadel Theatre); Non-Player Character (Red Theater); The Suffrage Plays (Artemisia), The Fantasticks (Promethean Theatre Ensemble). Midsommer Flight: Love’s Labour’s Lost, Romeo and Juliet, Cymbeline, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, and more. Equity Jeff Award Nominations Best Director and Best Production for Outside Mullingar and Silent Sky. Love to Team Wolflakis. more:wolfatthestagedoor.com | IG: @bethnwolf
Kevin Zhou (Music Director, Orchestrator)Productions include Addams Family, Music Man in Concert, Cinderella, Mary Poppins in Concert, Oliver! (Metropolis), Promises, Promises, On the Twentieth (Blank), Les Mis, Hairspray (Uptown Players), Ragtime in Concert (Highland Park). Amelie (Kokandy) Diana, Urinetown (Theo). Graduate of UIUC. Works as an adjunct Roosevelt University and leads his own video game band The Quicksavers. Thank you to Kingsley for trusting me. @kevpo.zhou
Alexa Berkowitz (Production Manager) has worked with a number of theatre companies in Chicago as both a stage manager and production manager including City Lit Theater, Promethean Theatre Ensemble (where she is an ensemble member), Strawdog Theatre Company, The Factory Theater, Black Button Eyes Productions, and Shattered Globe Theatre. Alexa is also the assistant production manager at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. She graduated from the University at Buffalo, SUNY with a B.A. in Dance and a B.A. in Theatre. Alexa also holds a M.A. from Loyola University Chicago in Women’s Studies and Gender Studies.
Tyeese Braslavsky (Assistant Music Director) A Chicago-based pianist, Tyeese has established herself as a sensitive soloist and versatile collaborator. Though primarily a soloist for many years, Tyeese has always had a passion for ensemble work. She currently serves as a piano accompanist and performance coach for instrumentalists of all levels in recital and at competitions, performs in various ensembles in concerts, weddings, and social events, and plays keyboard in theatre productions and cabarets.
Trevor Dotson (Scenic Designer) is thrilled to be making his City Lit debut! He is a Scenic Designer and Professor of Theatre at Aurora University, where he also serves as Department Chair. Recent design credits include Book of Will (Promethean Ensemble), Silent Sky (Citadel Theatre), Take Me Out (Nevada Conservatory Theatre), and the Off-Broadway premiere of Brotherhood. Trevor holds an MFA in Scenic Design from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. More of his work can be seen at trevordotson.com
DJ Douglass (Projections Design)
Meg X McGrath (Props Design)
Grace Elizabeth Mealey (Stage Manager) is thrilled to make her swashbuckling debut with City Lit! CHICAGO: The Mark (Babes with Blades Theatre Co.). Girls & Boys, The House Without A Christmas Tree (Griffin Theatre Company). The Storm of the Century, New Work Festival 2025 (Tales of the Ten; Sugar, Spice, & Everyone’s Vice; The Lesbian Pirate Show), Alone at Last! (Laughing Stock Theatre). Sentinels (CPA Theatricals). She graduated from Loyola University Chicago, B.A. in Theatre and Art History and a minor in Shakespeare Studies. Gratitude and humility always.
Jackson Mikkelsen (Lighting Designer) is delighted to be back at CityLit! Jackson is originally from Lincoln, NE and is full-time freelance theatre worker in a variety of disciplines including Lighting Design, Electrics, and Performance. During the school year he works as the Resident Lighting Assistant for Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts (CCPA), where he graduated with a BFA in 2023. Recently he’s designed with Promethean Theatre Ensemble, Bramble Theatre Company, Couch Penny Ensemble, Music Theatre Works, Loose Cannon, and many more. As a performer he’s worked with The Marriott Theatre, Metropolis, Kokandy Productions, Theo Ubique, and Dunes Arts Foundation. Learn more at www.jacksonmikkelsen.com
Jennifer Mohr (Costume Design)
Ray Post (Assistant Director) is a performer and director from the redwood forest of California. Co-founded the dance company Queer Dance Freakout in which they have performed, choreographed, and assistant directed locally at Midsummerfest, Steppenwolf, Elastic Arts, Chicago Danztheatre, and with the Fly Honeys at Thalia Hall. A founding performer and collaborator with the production Twilight After Dark: a burlesque parody since 2023. They have done music direction for several small productions at Second City, sung with Trans Voices Cabaret, and performed as a violinist/actor with Strawdog Theater’s Hershel and the Hannukah Goblins. They are grateful for this incredible opportunity to conspire with CityLit on this world premiere musical and with this world class team.
Reviews
City Lit Theater’s new musical set during the French Revolution bursts with romance, adventure, and comedy.
by Kerry Reid, Chicago Reader, May 13th, 2026
Reader Recommended
As I wager is the case for a lot of folks, the word “Scaramouche” to me just means I’ve now got Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” stuck in my head. (You’re welcome/I’m sorry.) But now, thanks to City Lit Theater’s world premiere musical of the same name, there are some other earworms associated with it.
Adapted from Rafael Sabatini’s 1921 novel (which itself was adapted into films in 1923 and 1952), Scaramouche takes place at the onset of the French Revolution—some years before the June Rebellion of 1832 captured in the novel and musical of Les Misérables. Young lawyer André-Louis Moreau (Ethan Smith) is mostly content to play bystander to the growing unrest in his country, despite the efforts of his best friend, the priest Philippe de Vilmorin (Connor Ripperger), to convince him that it’s time to take a stand. But when Philippe is killed in a duel with the powerful Marquis de la Tour (Kent Joseph) after confronting the aristocrat about murdering a man who was poaching pheasants on the de la Tour estate, André-Louis makes an impassioned speech calling out the Marquis.
With a charge of sedition hanging over his head, the young lawyer takes refuge with a traveling commedia troupe, and finds he has a real knack for performing as Scaramouche, a stock character known for his wily ways. Along the way, he enters into a romance with Climène (India Huy), daughter of troupe leader Pierre Binet (Henry Michael Odum), despite still harboring affection for Aline de Gavrillac (Laura Michele Erle), who, like André-Louis, was raised as an orphan by Aline’s uncle (also played by Odum). To make matters even more complicated, Aline is being wooed by the much older Marquis.
Book writers Kingsley Day and James Glossman apparently hew much closer to the original novel than the 1952 film did, with plenty of theatrical in-jokes on hand. Day’s songs (featuring instrumental arrangements by Day and music director Kevin Zhou) make the case for the argument made by George Sidney, director of the 1952 film, that Scaramouche should always have been a musical. Day, a longtime City Lit favorite, keeps the bombast at bay (see Les Mis if you’re looking for that). The songs range from tender and wistful (“By Candlelight,” sung by Huy and Smith) to rousing ensemble numbers that, in keeping with the theatrical subplot, feature titles like “The Curtain Rises” and “On With the Show.”
Director Beth Wolf, who is also the artistic director of the Shakespeare company Midsommer Flight, is a dab hand from her experience with the Bard at staging stories featuring complicated plots, hidden identities, and the clash of clowns and nobles.
This is also an ambitious production for City Lit, and with Raven’s Octet and Lifeline’s Loki—The End of the World Tour, we’re spoiled right now with small-scale musicals. Scaramouche is a bit of a narrative throwback compared to those shows, but that’s suitable for this old-fashioned romance and adventure tale, and the cast commits to the story with passion and gusto. Some of the revelations in the second act felt pretty easy to see coming, but getting there ahead of the characters didn’t make the journey any less enjoyable for me.
Smith shows us the growth in André-Louis’s politics and emotional maturity, and Erle takes what could be a standard-issue ingenue role and gives Aline complexity and heart. As two different “Madames” (one the matriarch of the Binet troupe, the other Aline’s aristocratic aunt), Alicia Berneche is waspish, funny, and a gem of a singer: Her turn in the second-act four-part song, “A Family Reunion” (along with Smith, Erle, and Joseph) is a highlight. Toss in some delightful costumes by Jennifer Mohr, cunning projections design by DJ Douglass that give depth and texture to the small space, and a few sword fights, and you’ve got the makings for a fun theatrical fandango, indeed.
Satire with a Sword
by Kevin Payne, Buzz Centre Stage
Highly Recommended
City Lit Theatre is currently bringing the swordplay world of Scaramouche to vivid life, offering audiences a rare chance to experience this spirited tale of wit, rebellion, and theatrical daring onstage. With its blend of political intrigue, romance, and commedia‑dell’arte flair, City Lit’s production captures the adventurous sweep of the story while showcasing the company’s signature literary focus. It’s a lively, sharply drawn staging that reintroduces a classic hero to modern audiences with style and verve.
Scaramouche tells the story of André‑Louis Moreau, a quick‑witted young lawyer in pre‑Revolutionary France whose life is shattered when his closest friend is killed in a duel by an untouchable aristocrat. Forced into hiding, André‑Louis slips into a traveling commedia dell’arte troupe as an out‑of‑work actor, where - thanks to the help of Pierre Binet, who immediately takes a liking to him - he quickly rises to lead the company. Donning the mask of Scaramouche, the nimble, sharp‑tongued clown whose satire cuts deeper than any blade, he begins crafting and performing daring political farces that transform him from fugitive to folk hero. His journey winds through romance, duels, disguises, and the rising tide of revolution, all while he uncovers long‑buried truths about his own identity.
Though the story is best known from Rafael Sabatini’s 1921 novel, its most significant early-stage incarnation came through Jean Sibelius’s ballet‑pantomime Scaramouche, written between 1912 and 1913. Sibelius’s adaptation brought the mischievous commedia figure to life through music and movement rather than spoken dialogue, emphasizing the character’s blend of humor, danger, and political bite. The work premiered on May 12, 1922, at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen, marking the first major performance of Scaramouche as a fully staged ensemble-shaped piece.
A century later, City Lit Theatre’s stage version captures the heart of the tale with clarity and affection, leaning into the story’s text‑centered expressiveness, wit, and emotional undercurrents rather than its spectacle. True to the company’s long‑standing mission of elevating literary works for the stage, City Lit approaches Scaramouche with a storyteller’s precision - honoring Sabatini’s narrative sweep while foregrounding the character‑driven humor and humanity that make the piece endure. Their production bridges the novel’s adventurous spirit and Sibelius’s expressive theatricality, reminding audiences why Scaramouche remains one of literature and theatre’s most enduring trickster heroes - “born with the gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad,” and destined to turn both into his greatest weapons.
City Lit’s Scaramouche marks a genuine world premiere as a full musical, and what’s remarkable is just how naturally the saga takes to the form. Though Sabatini’s tale has lived for a century in novels, films, plays, and even Sibelius’s ballet pantomime, it has never before been realized as a traditional book musical with a sung score. City Lit recognized that the story’s imaginative DNA - its commedia dell’arte roots, its heightened characters, its blend of satire, romance, and political danger - was already begging for musical expression. That insight became the foundation for this adaptation, with music and lyrics by City Lit Artistic Associate Kingsley Day and book by Day and James Glossman, shaping André Louis’s journey with straightforwardness, wit, and story-forward verve. The result is a surprisingly seamless transformation, one that feels less like an experiment and more like the form the adventure had been waiting for.
What truly sells the concept is the sheer musical ambition of the production. With 30 musical numbers, the show fully commits to musical theatre, using songs to heighten character, hone satire, and propel André‑Louis from out‑of‑work actor to revolutionary folk hero. And the cast meets that challenge with uniformly excellent vocal performances. Ensemble members shift effortlessly between comedic patter, heartfelt ballads, and rousing ensemble pieces, giving the score a richness and variety that continually surprises. The vocal work is strong, expressive, character‑driven, and emotionally grounded, the kind of singing that makes the musical form feel not only justified but essential. City Lit’s gamble pays off: Scaramouche thrives as a musical.
Ethan Smith anchors Scaramouche with a performance that is as nimble as it is commanding, capturing André‑Louis Moreau’s evolution from wounded idealist to razor‑sharp revolutionary with remarkable definition and charisma. Smith moves through the character’s many transformations - lawyer, fugitive, actor, firebrand - with an ease that makes the journey feel inevitable, even thrilling. His wit lands on point, his emotional beats resonate, and he carries the production with the kind of presence that makes it impossible to look anywhere else. It’s a standout turn that gives the tale its pulse.
Henry Michael Odum brings rich texture to each of the Manager/Gavrillac/Pierre Binet, shifting between roles with a grounded authority that deepens the world around André‑Louis. Laura Michele Erle offers a luminous, heartfelt Aline, playing her with a sincerity that makes her scenes glow. She balances innocence with quiet resolve, giving Aline a sense of inner life that elevates every moment she’s onstage. Conor Ripperger’s Phillipe (among other characters) is equally compelling - earnest, principled, and deeply sympathetic. His early scenes with Smith establish the emotional stakes of the structural arc, and Ripperger’s performance makes Phillipe’s fate feel genuinely affecting. Kent Joseph delivers a taut, formidable De La Tour, embodying the character’s aristocratic menace with razor precision and a chilling sense of entitlement.
The supporting ensemble adds color, humor, and texture throughout. Alicia Berneche brings elegance and sly intelligence to Madame de Sautron (and how she can sing!), shaping each moment with a knowing touch. Shea Lee’s Columbine sparkles with playful charm, her physicality and timing giving the commedia sequences real lift. Ed Rutherford makes Chapelier delightfully sharp‑edged, grounding the satire with controlled delivery. India Huy’s Climene is vibrant and expressive, adding a burst of stage-driven flair whenever she steps into the spotlight. Rushil Byatnal rounds out the troupe with a wonderfully nimble Pierrot, blending innocence and mischief in a way that feels perfectly tuned to the world of the play.
Together, this ensemble creates a dynamic, fully inhabited world - one where satire, romance, and revolution collide with irresistible spirit of invention.
Beth Wolf, a two‑time Jeff nominee, leads the production with a deft, imaginative hand, weaving together its comedy, romance, and revolutionary spirit with remarkable ease. Her direction gives the piece a vibrant pulse that carries through every scene.
City Lit Theatre has spent the past several seasons reaffirming its reputation as Chicago’s home for smart, text‑centered storytelling, offering audiences everything from tightly rendered literary adaptations to rediscovered gems that rarely see the stage. Their recent productions have leaned into that mission with renewed confidence, showcasing the company’s knack for transforming complex narratives into intimate, actor‑driven theatre. In that context, Scaramouche feels like an inspired and perfectly aligned choice - a swashbuckling tale rooted in literature, rich with political intrigue, theatricality, and character depth. It gives City Lit the chance to flex its strengths: crisp ensemble work, narrative coherence, and a love of stories that balance adventure with ideas. As part of their ongoing commitment to bringing literary worlds to life, Scaramouche fits not just well, but exceptionally well.
City Lit’s production is elevated by a design team working in striking harmony to evoke the texture and artistic boldness of late‑18th‑century France. Jennifer Mohr’s costumes - supported by her expertise as a commedia consultant - bring a vivid blend of historical detail and playful character expression, while Meg X. McGrath’s props add tactile richness to every corner of the stage. Jackson Mikkelsen’s lighting sculpts the world with warmth and shadow, shifting effortlessly between intimate moments and broader swashes of adventure. Scenic designer Trevor Dotson provides a flexible, purpose‑built environment that lets the action unfold with clarity and momentum, and Music Director Kevin Zhou does an impressive amount with a limited‑sized band. Maureen Yasko’s violence and intimacy design adds yet another essential layer, shaping moments of danger and vulnerability with precision, safety, and emotional truth. Together, they craft a world that feels cohesive, imaginative, and wonderfully alive.
City Lit’s Scaramouche is an easy production to recommend - a smart, spirited world‑premiere musical that embraces the adventure, satire, and dramatic flair of Sabatini’s plotline with real imagination. The company’s intimate Edgewater home adds to the charm, though audiences should know that parking in the neighborhood can be challenging, especially on weekend evenings. The theatre itself is located on the second floor of the Edgewater Presbyterian Church and is fully ADA accessible via elevator, making the space welcoming to all. For anyone who loves literary adaptations, new musicals, or simply a night of inventive storytelling, Scaramouche is absolutely worth the trip.
“A New musical Classic”
by Reno Lovison, Chicago Theater & Arts
Highly Recommended
Scaramouche is a stock character in Italian commedia dell’arte who is seen as an unscrupulous, boastful, and often cowardly rogue whose swagger collapses the moment real danger appears. This City Lit world‑premiere musical adaptation of Scaramouche by Kingsley Day and James Glossman based on Rafael Sabatini’s novel is set in 18th‑century France on the eve of the French Revolution.
After the death of his friend Phillipe (Connor Ripperger) at the hand of the Marquis de la Tour (Kent Joseph), Andre‑Louis Moreau (Ethan Smith) boasts of retribution yet fails to follow through. Convinced by his cousin Aline (Laura Michele Erle) that he is in mortal danger, Moreau flees, joining a troupe of travelling actors where he in fact takes on the role of Scaramouche.
What ensues is a series of political intrigues and personal interactions that depicts Moreau’s life journey ultimately bringing him to understanding his true self.
In addition to his contribution as co-author, Kingsley Day has done a terrific job with the music and lyrics. The overall style harkens back to a more traditional approach. There are no big soaring production numbers prevalent in contemporary musicals but rather a staggering 30 or so creative melodies and recitatives that feature surprising harmonies that seem perfectly at place in the story’s time period. This is most notable in “A Family Reunion” sung as a four-part vocal quartet in counterpoint reminiscent of a Mozart opera. “Entitled to be Happy” sung as a charming duet by Aline and Moreau sets the tone of their relationship.
Demonstrating a prodigious vocabulary, Day shows he has done his research into the subject matter and lexicon of the period, pairing a variety of complex words in unexpected ways with wry wit and delightful comic effect.
A familiar figure in the Chicago theater scene, Day reveals his considerable acquaintance with Gilbert and Sullivan in several of the numbers, while in “A Brand-New Play” he provides an homage to the rapid-fire patter song of Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin made famous by Danny Kaye’s rattling off the names of fifty or more Russian composers. In this case a shorter list of French playwrights. Adding to the humor is Day’s tongue-in-cheek reference to himself with Moreau explaining the secret to writing a good play is to borrow from the best. Which incidentally Day has accomplished brilliantly.
Music Director and accompanist Kevin Zhou with the assistance of Tyeese Braslavsy and musicians Chad Polk, Aaron Kaplan, Matthew Beck, and Adam High introduced this new work admirably including the use of woodwinds and strings to augment the period effect.
The vocal performances of the company were all excellent however about half the cast seemed to lack the vocal power needed to really push their numbers to full effect. This was due in part to the interesting vocal range demanded by Day’s compositions.
The lack of amplification was a factor, which is indeed a feature of modern theater and musical vocal performance generally. I understand that in the small space of the City Lit theater it seems unnecessary but in fact the room does not have ideal acoustics especially when singers are competing against live instrumentalists. Many of the low notes got lost and some of the endings never got the full-bodied top notes they deserved. The performers were hitting the notes but the volume was often quite soft. This is more of an observation than a criticism. It did not detract from our enjoyment of the performance but both my companion and I had the same experience.
Smith as Moreau sets the pace managing the demanding role well, being onstage nearly all the time and participating in ten out of the fourteen musical numbers in the first act.
Each of the supporting actors played multiple roles with perfection beginning with Connor Ripperger (I remember as Pippin at MTW) who has a good strong voice and considerable stage presence. The same is true of Kent Joseph whose stature and voice gave a commanding bearing to The Marquis and a devilish characterization as a member of the theater troupe.
Henry Michael Odum who appears in three roles as uncle; leader of the acting troupe; and fencing master are all skillfully related as they are all mentors to Moreau. Odum gives each a slightly different supportive twist.
Erle as the ingénue Aline and Alicia Berneche as Madame provided full throated performances that helped to bring some appreciated vocal dynamics to the production.
India Huy was perfectly coquettish as love interest Climene while Shea Lee was a scene stealer in her comic portrayal of the elderly maidservant.
The trio of “Royalists” (Kent Joseph, Rushil Byatnal, Ed Rutherford) had their moment in the perfectly evil “Robin Redbreast.”
The set design of Trevor Dotson with raised section and projected background, providing a screen for the onstage musicians, was perfectly suited to the small confines of the City Lit performance area.
The lighting effects of Jackson Mikkelsen was very effective in managing the mood and offering a certain muted vintage quality to the production.
Costumes by Jennifer Mohr were appropriate including the use of scarves and sashes that added dramatic flair to the action.
Physical movement is constrained by the available space but the sword fighting was very well managed and the Ensemble movements of the acting troupe with its homage to Fosse was very funny.
Director Beth Wolf did a tremendous job pulling it all together. The press opening performance was flawless. This cast was well prepared, ready and on-pointe in every way.
This may not have the scale of the modern blockbusters and might seem a bit old-school to some but it is a well-conceived, well written production with a good balance of drama and humor that includes interesting and approachable music and lyrics wrapped in an interesting story. Don’t miss it.
French aristocrats, revolutionaries, traveling comedy troupes, swordsmen — Scaramouche packs it all in this world premiere musical that doesn’t stop moving and keeps you laughing.
by Angela Lin, Broadway World, May 10th, 2026
Directed by Beth Wolf, Scaramouche is based on Rafael Sabatini’s 1921 novel of the same title. Set during the French Revolution, this is a classic adventure story that follows the exploits of a sardonic provincial lawyer who is radicalized by his friend’s brutal murder. It opens with the line, “He was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad."
The “he” in question is André-Louis Moreau (Ethan Smith), the sharp lawyer with unknown parentage who we first meet in a state of contentment. Smith captures the multitude of André-Louis with ease and plays the lead with a disarming smile and playful yet passionate personality.
André-Louis’s Best Friend Philippe de Vilmorin (Connor Ripperger) grips your attention at the start with the gift of eloquence and a stirring number calling for equality and justice in “The Time Has Come” — only to be murdered in a duel by the powerful nobleman Marquis de la Tour (Kent Joseph) within the first ten minutes. (Not to fear though, as Ripperger returns as other characters in the ensemble, including brilliantly acting as someone who cannot act.)
Thus propels André-Louis on a revenge arc and, radicalized by Philippe’s death, stumbles through a series of new identities as he becomes a revolutionary orator wanted for sedition, a traveling comic actor-turned-writer, and a master swordsman — but no matter where he goes or which identity he assumes, he can’t escape his past and the ghost of Philippe. Nor can he get away from the paternal support of The Manager (Henry Michael Odum) who plays Quintin de Gavrillac, André-Louis’s godfather who raised him, Pierre Binet, the comedy troupe’s leader, and Bertrand des Amis, a fencing master. Another constant presence is Aline de Gavrillac (Laura Michele Erle), the aristocratic niece of de Gavrillac who is set to marry the Marquis but cares deeply for André-Louis and looks out for him throughout.
To round out the ensemble, Shea Lee, Rushil Byatnal, Ed Rutherford, India Huy, and Alicia Bernecheall wear different hats in each of André-Louis’s various lives. The three-piece pit band consisting of a keyboard, cello, and flute/clarinet fills the theater with their lively accompaniment. There’s even a charming cameo from Music Director Kevin Zhou in the first act.
The show makes the most out of an intimate stage in the theater on the second floor of the Edgewater Presbyterian Church, thanks to projections designed by DJ Douglass, lighting designed by Jackson Mikkelsen, props designed by Meg X. McGrath, and choreography from Beth Wolf, Ray Post, and Maureen Yasko.
With music and lyrics from City Lit Artistic Associate Kingsley Day and the book by Day and James Glossman, there is much to be lauded in the writing. This production excels in its comedic moments – from playful physical comedy (particularly Shea Lee as a maidservant) to thoughtful use of props to snappy one liner comebacks and banter. There’s an element of self-aware parody, particularly the reflections in “A Brand New Play” on stealing original produced material and turning it into something new (as this musical is based on a novel itself). In another nod, Act II opens with a number that commentates on the exasperating behind-the-scenes workings of the theater. T
There are also heartfelt moments, notably Smith’s captivating reprise of “The Time Has Come” as André-Louis vows to carry the torch of his befallen friend and the gentle duet between André-Louis and Climène (India Huy) in “By Candlelight.” There’s a wide range of song styles throughout, but the four-part polyphony of “A Family Reunion” deserves special recognition as the antepenultimate number, which you wouldn’t know listening to Smith, Berneche, Joseph, and Erle sing their separate lines with such energy and fortitude near the end of a long show.
Speaking of long show, with a 2 hour 30 minute runtime, there were some musical numbers that didn’t move the plot or develop characters as effectively that probably could’ve been cut. The opening number “The Tale of Scaramouche” with the whole ensemble felt a bit hesitant, but as the show went on, the cast settled into a comfortable rhythm and rapport that gave the production some of its shining moments. While the first act was filled with action and the introduction of a whole traveling commedia dell’arte troupe, the second act lost some of the momentum that was building before the intermission. As we leave the comedy troupe behind, the plot slows down during the fencing era before the questions of vengeance and parentage are resolved. Despite these pacing notes, Scaramouche keeps you engaged with its larger-than-life characters and fun score.
This world premiere musical feels like a dash of Pirates of Penzance mixed with themes from The Count of Monte Cristo combined with a parodic flourish reminiscent of Urinetown. With a suave lead, strong ensemble, swords galore, and solid source material adapted with eloquence and levity, Scaramouche is certainly a swashbuckling musical that will entertain.
