I Gelosi

The Ballard Underground
2220 NW Market Street Seattle

The vibrant world of 16th century Italian commedia dell'arte comes to life in I Gelosi. Called "Immensely ambitious" and "vastly entertaining" by the Los Angeles Times, this comedy centers on Italy's first great traveling theater troupe, the Gelosi company, which takes the provinces by storm, thanks to the beauty, wit and charm of Isabella Andreini, one of the very first women ever to play on the stage. As the troupe and Andreini's fame spreads, they are invited to perform at the Court of King Charles IX of France. Gelosi becomes the toast of Europe -- until the trailblazing troupe incites the wrath of the Pope. With its iconic masks representing stock characters and its improvisational structure, commedia dell'arte spread across Europe and helped shape the future of theater. Now the behind-the-scenes story takes center stage.