Behold, A Negress

by Jacqueline E. Lawton

at Everyman Theatre

Set in Paris at the beginnings of Napoleon's reign, BEHOLD, A NEGRESS imagines an intimate relationship between real-life painter, Marie-Guillemine Benoist, and her muse, Madeleine, a formerly enslaved black woman. Inspired by the execution of eighteenth-century feminist and playwright Olympe de Gouges, Marie and Madeleine maneuver the codes and corridors of women's power in post-revolutionary France in pursuit of their own liberty, equality, and fraternity. However, when Marie's ambition and desire for artistic recognition overshadow Madeleine's sense of justice and personal integrity, the women find themselves at odds just as revolutionary as the political world that surrounds them. BEHOLD, A NEGRESS is a passionate and daring examination of the challenges of intersectional feminism and the role of art during times of great social unrest and political upheaval.

Assistant Director & Choreographer: Maria Simpkins

Dramaturgy: Jules Odendahl-James 

Intimacy Choreographer: Estrellita Beatriz

Costume Design: David Burdick

Paintings: Linda Cavell

Set Design: Daniel Ettinger

Light Design: Aja Jackson

Sound Design: Hope Villanueva 

Stage Management: Cat Wallis, Assistant Molly Prunty 

Photography: Teresa Castracane.

Featuring: Hannah Kelly, Jessica Natalie Smith