Archduke (play)
| Archduke | |
|---|---|
 2025 Playbill Design | |
| Original language | English |
| Written by | Rajiv Joseph |
| Subject | Assassination of Franz Ferdinand |
| Genre | Dark comedy |
| Premiere | |
| Date | 2017 |
Archduke is a 2017 play written by Rajiv Joseph about the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
Synopsis
A group of teenage revolutionaries, including Gavrilo Princip, are swept up in a scheme to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand.[1]
Production history
Premiere
Archduke premiered at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, California, presented by Center Theatre Group.[2] It was directed by Giovanna Sardelli, with scenic design by Tim Mackabee, costume design by Denitsa Bliznakova, lighting design by Lap Chi Chu, and music and sound design by Daniel Kluger.[3]
Philadelphia
Archduke ran at the Wilma Theater April 15 though May 4, 2025.[4][5] It was directed by Blanka Zizka, the retired co-founder of the Wilma.[4]
Off-Broadway
An off-Broadway production of the play is set to run at Roundabout Theatre Company's Laura Pels Theatre in late 2025. Previews began October 23, 2025, with an official opening night on November 12, 2025, and a scheduled closing night December 21, 2025.[6] It is directed by Darko Tresnjak.[1]
London
Archduke made its European premiere at the Royal Court Theatre in London, running from 20 June to 25 July 2026. It was directed by Lyndsey Turner and designed by Es Devlin.[7]
Characters and casting
| Los Angeles[2][3] | Philadelphia[5] | Off-Broadway[6] | London[8] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gavrilo Princip | Stephen Stocking | Suli Holum | Jake Berne | Stanley Morgan |
| Sladjana | Joanne McGee | Melanye Finister | Kristine Nielsen | Janice Connolly |
| Trifko | Ramiz Monsef | Brandon Pierce | Adrien Rolet | Abraham Popoola |
| Nedeljko | Josiah Bania | Sarah Gliko | Jason Sanchez | Chris Walley |
| Dragutin 'Apis' Dimitrijevic | Patrick Page | Steven Rishard | Patrick Page | Marc Wootton |
References
- 1 2 Hall, Margaret (3 September 2025). "Rajiv Joseph's Archduke, Starring Patrick Page, Finds Complete Cast". PLAYBILL. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
- 1 2 Riefe, Jordan (2017-05-08). "'Archduke': Theater Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-09-24.
- 1 2 Gordon, Eric A. (2017-05-19). ""Archduke," world premiere play by Rajiv Joseph, twists tragedy into comedy". People's World. Retrieved 2025-09-24.
- 1 2 Bergen, Jane M. Von (2025-04-10). "Wilma Theatre co-founder returns to direct production of "Archduke"". Billy Penn at WHYY. Retrieved 2025-09-24.
- 1 2 Terruso, Gene (2025-04-24). "A deft play of fact and fiction arises in Wilma Theater's 'Archduke'". Inquirer.com. Retrieved 2025-09-24.
- 1 2 Stewart, Zachary (2025-09-03). "Kristine Nielsen and More Join the Cast of Archduke by Rajiv Joseph". TheaterMania. Archived from the original on 4 September 2025. Retrieved 2025-09-24.
- ↑ "Archduke full cast and creative team just announced". Royal Court Theatre. Retrieved 2026-06-30.
- ↑ Lawson, Mark (2026-06-28). "Archduke review – twisted history goes to war for a sandwich". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-06-30.