Archbishop Supreme Tartuffe
Tickets and Information

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SHOW INFORMATION

Average of 5 stars from 1 ratings.

CURRENTLY CLOSED
Opened Jun 25, 2009
Closed Jul 19, 2009

Playing at
Clurman Theatre

Directions & Map

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WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

The Classical Theater of Harlem presents the Off-Broadway premiere of Archbishop Supreme Tartuffe by Alfred Preisser & Randy Weiner, directed by Preisser.

This original play with music is inspired by Moliere's great comic classic and informed by the gloriously unorthodox ministries of Reverend Ike, Daddy Grace, and Rasputin. Set within a fabulously theatrical Harlem Renaissance-era "church", the play explores the outrageously creative criminal mind of the title character through a series of songs, dances, sermons and feats of divine inspiration.

The cast is headed by two-time Tony Award nominee André DeShields (most recently seen opposite Jeremy Irons and Joan Allen in Impressionism), Ted Lange (best known for his role as Isaac the bartender on the TV series The Love Boat), and Kim Brockington (Guiding Light, Angela's Mixtape).

THEATER/VENUE INFORMATION:

Clurman Theatre
410 W 42nd St
New York, NY 10036

The Clurman Theater, although it has the same name as its predecessor, bears no resemblence to it. This brand new theater features fixed, plush seating as well as heat and air conditioning. Located on the lower level of the Theater Row complex, the C [...] Read More

WHAT ARE CRITICS SAYING?

Church services have rarely seemed so much like razzle-dazzle show biz as in The Classical Theatre of Harlem's
Archbishop Supreme Tartuffe, a 90-minute play with music inspired in part by Moliere's classic, now at the Clurman Theatre. While Andre De Shields is a flamboyant delight as the blinged-out minister of the title, his skills can't fully compensate for the show's wearying thinness, under the direction of Alfred Preisser (who is also credited along with Randy Weiner as playwright.)

As he enters in a crushed red velvet get-up to deliver the first of many roof-raising sermons, De Shields makes the minister a larger-than-life cartoon of bravado, a transparent huckster who it's hard to r[...]

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Reviewed by Patrick Lee on Jun 26, 2009

What are other members saying?

Suprise Hit of the Summer
This show was wild. I couldnt believe how entertaining it was. Its definitely the surprise summer hit of the season. Go see it and take all your friends. You will have a blast!

Reviewed by jkyleskorner on Thursday, Jun 25th, 2009

RE:Not what I expected - THANK GOD!
I went to the opening night of this show because I never miss anything by The Classical Theatre of Harlem CTH. I was worried that producing Tartuffe would obligate this dynamic, sexy and bold company to a more conservative night in the theatre....but I should have known better. CTH DELIVERS! They made the theatre into a ?church?. The show became a gospel service with rock music, show tunes and dancing! The action happens all over the theatre, even in the aisles and in the laps of the audience. Showman Andre De Shields, whom I have seen many times as I hope you will too! was brilliant. His Tartuffe was so honest and real yes ? words that are overused, but apt here that all of his righteousness came from ME?I gave it to him!!!! This play was turned upside down by this company. The family members are the liars, Tartuffe is honest. This production tackled the issues of right, wrong, perversions and greed in the gray area where they belong. Thank you for celebrating the imperfect humans that we are! A bonus of the evening was sitting among a group of teens - who were obviously surprised and delighted to be treated as adults by this production. In fact, the worst part of the night came when a house manager asked audience members leaving the show to ?please keep quiet? in that theatre wanker sort of way. Thank you CTH for stirring things up!!!!! Kudos to director Alfred Preisser who can surprise us even with the best known plays. I will always go to anything he directs!

Reviewed by jossnyc on Wednesday, Jun 24th, 2009