John Singer Sargent and Madame X

John Singer Sargent and Madame X

John Singer Sargent and Madame X

John Singer Sargent and Madame X

Overview

John Singer Sargent And Madame X was heralded by invitation at the Actors Studio, NYC. John Singer Sargent, an up-and-coming American artist, is eager to collaborate on a portrait that would catapult him and Madame X, the most beautiful woman in Paris, to the pinnacle of society. But he falls in love with her and she tries to destroy him. Which pathway will he go down? Will he try to create the perfect painting or placate his lover? With its revelations about Madame X’s identity and an eyebrow-raising cast of characters, including Oscar Wilde, Henry James, Sarah Bernhardt and Dr. Samuel Pozzi (Madame X’s notorious gynecologist/lover), this play exposes the tale of beauty, infatuation, obsession and betrayal that lies behind Sargent’s masterpiece painting, Madame X. It is based on a true-life story and set in the glamorous Belle Époque period of Paris and England.

Voluptuous characters and riveting changes of place can be created on a bare stage by shifts in lighting and/or costume pieces.

Want to perform this show?

Cautions

  • Caution Mild Adult Mild Adult Themes

Details

  • Genre: Biography
  • Time Period: Victorian (British and American)
  • Cast Attributes: Reduced casting (Doubling Possible), Expandable casting, Flexible cast size, Room for Extras, Strong Role for Leading Man (Star Vehicle), Strong Role for Leading Woman (Star Vehicle)
  • Target Audience: Adult

Authors

Rosary Hartel O'Neill

Rosary Hartel O’Neill is the author of 25 plays, 18 published by Samuel French, Inc., and four books of nonfiction. The fourth edition of her text The Actor’s Checklist is used in schools nationwide.

Her book New Orleans Voodoo: A Cultural History (co-written with Rory Schmi ...

View full profile

Community

Community Experiences