About

Friday and Saturday, March 27th and 28th at 10:00pm, and Sunday, March 29th at 8:00pm. Admission is a suggested $10 donation.

La Fenice, Austin's long running Commedia dell'Arte troupe, proudly returns to the Butterfly Bar in March for three performances of Kill the Messenger. This show, which combines elements of Shakespeare's King Lear with George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones, premiered at the Butterfly Bar in the summer of 2014. Now, in advance of a tour to the Big Bend region in April, Austin audiences will have three more opportunities to experience La Fenice's unique blend of classical plot lines and pop culture references.

Kill the Messenger is a devised work, an ensemble performance that is the result of the actors and musicians improvising together in the studio based upon a plot outline and the centuries-old characters and techniques of the Commedia dell'Arte. The production stars Nathanael Dunaway, Genevieve Kinney, Katy Smaczniak, Aaron Michael Johnson, Adam W. Rodriguez and Kate Meehan, with music by Rodriquez and Amber Quick and performed by Bruce Salmon.

The Story

King Pantalone has decided to settle any potential squabbles over his throne by dividing the kingdom among his three legitimate daughters; but first, they must prove their love for him. When Pantalone's youngest daughter Isabella refuses to play his petty game, she is banished from the country, vowing to return with an army of slaves and dragons to kick her father where the sun doesn't shine. Meanwhile, her two sisters, Ruffiana and Columbina, one a schizophrenic pyromaniac, and the other an alcoholic without equal, plot and scheme to ensure their positions of power. Outside the palace, Pantalone's two illegitimate sons, Brighella and Arlecchino, are on their own journeys, one to grab the throne and the other to win his father's love. Who will rule the Kingdom at play's end? Deceit, disguise, dislodged eyeballs, and degenerate behavior will determine the winner of the game.

Event Details

• Date: Friday and Saturday, March 27th and 28th at 10:00 PM, and Sunday, March 29th at 8:00 PM.
• Venue: The Butterfly Bar

Ticket Information

• Cost: Suggested $10 donation

Presenter Details

• Name: La Fenice Austin

Venue Details