A contemporary reimagining of Ionesco’s Rhinoceros with themes of race, culture and xenophobia, written by Robert Siegel. William Roudebush directs a cast of eight, including Vick Krishna, Jeremy Lister, Barbara Matovu, Amanda McCallum, Leslie Lynn Meeker, Charles Rubey, David Shakopi and Scott Zimmerman.

A director with a reputation for restaging classics takes on Ionesco’s Rhinoceros turning the play inside out to reflect current societal fears of Muslims. A neophyte lands the role of the protagonist. Another cast member begins to wonder about his stake in this play. As rehearsals progress and the new Rhino emerges, the tension between cast and the play, especially our mysterious neophyte, brings the play to a startling conclusion about our recent past.

This is in no way an adaptation. It is a tip of the hat but a wholly original absurdist farce/drama,” stated playwright Robert Siegel. “The subject is so serious that the only way I could come at it is to try and make an audience laugh at first, then ask themselves what they’re laughing at, and hopefully think about our history and place in the world.”