Now playing through June 3rd, a brooding and bloody thriller of Elizabethan legend...

THE SPANISH
TRAGEdY
by Thomas Kyd
First performed on in the late 16th century, essentially creating the "Revenge Tragedy" genre, and forever changing the face of Elizabethan drama, The Spanish Tragedy tells the dark tale of Hieronimo, Knight Marshal of Spain, who hatches the most devious of plots to avenge the death of his murdered son, Horatio.
Killed in a battle with Portugal, the ghost of Don Andrea (a low-ranking Spanish nobleman) has returned to commision the revenge of his own untimely death.
His killer, Prince Balthazar, is held captive by Don Andrea's friend, Horatio. Balthazar desires to marry Bel-imperia, daughter of the Duke of Castile and ex-lover of the late Don Andrea, but she now loves Horatio. Taking full advantage of his freedom in captivity (ultimately granted to him for his royal status), he plots with Bel-imperia's brother, Lorenzo, and murders Horatio.
Enter Hieronimo.

With Balthazar and Bel-imperia now set to marry, Hieronimo, father of the murdered Horatio, is burdened with two great tasks:
providing the entertainment for the wedding ceremony, and avenging the death of his beloved son.
He does both.
Hieronimo devises a play to be performed at the wedding and manages to convince his son's murderers, Balthazar and Lorenzo, to act in it. Hieronimo and Bel-imperia (now a confederate in his plot) also act in the play -- a play in which real knives are used in a scene of brutal murder.
Before a horrified audience, including the Viceroy of Portugal, Hieronimo and Bel-imperia together kill Balthazar, Lorenzo, and the Duke of Castile before taking their own lives.
The bloodiest of scenes ending the bloodiest of plays-within-a-play ends the bloodiest of Elizabethan revenge tragedies as well as the long blood-trail that began with the death of Don Andrea.
And finally, revenge is had.
Playing May 18 -- June 3 in the Osborne Studio Theatre.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings at 8:00.
$10 General Admission, $5 with a Student ID, FREE with a UCCS Student ID.
Contains violent and graphic content.
Directed by Jonathan Margheim / Presented by THEATREdART








