LAUREN GUNDERSON

SEPT. 25-26, 30-OCT. 2 AT 8 P.M.
SEPT. 28 & OCT. 5 AT 2 P.M.
MORTON THEATRE |195 W WASHINGTON ST. ATHENS, GA 30601
TICKETS: $18, $6 FOR STUDENTS
ASL PERFORMANCE: OCT. 2 AT 8P.M.

Lauren Gunderson’s The Revolutionists is a bold, fast-paced comedy that reimagines four remarkable women navigating the chaos of the French Revolution. With sharp wit and modern flair, the play brings together playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen Marie Antoinette, and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle as they confront questions of art, activism, and legacy. Exploring the intersection of gender, power, and social justice, Gunderson’s play asks whether art can truly change the world and serves as a tribute to the resilience of women who dare defy expectations. The Revolutionists is an inspiring piece of theatre that celebrates the spirit of revolution — and the women who spark it.

Consider making The Revolutionists a part of your Franklin Fine & Performing Arts season through our Pick 5, Pick 10, or Pick 15 collaboration with School of Music, Department of Dance, and Lamar Dodd School of Art.

THE REVOLUTIONISTS is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection. (www.dramatists.com) 

CAST

  • WYN ALYSE THOMAS

    Olympe

  • JENNA GUBRAN

    Marie Antoinette

  • SAMARA MCKNIGHT

    SAMARA MCKNIGHT

    Charlotte, U/S Marianne

  • ARWA ABDELRAHMAN

    Marianne

  • LAUREN BROOKS

    U/S Olympe

  • DYLLON GLAZE

    U/S Marie Antoinette

  • MERRIELLE GATLIN

    U/S Charlotte

UGA Theatre to Open Lauren Gunderson's "The Revolutionists"
at Historic Morton Theatre

Georgia playwright Lauren Gunderson’s “The Revolutionists” is a darkly comedic play set during the French Revolution, bringing together four unlikely heroines—playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen Marie Antoinette and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle—who wrestle with art, violence, legacy and the meaning of change in uncertain times. Gunderson, a Decatur native and one of the most produced playwrights in the country, is known for blending humor, history and humanity to examine how stories shape social movements.

The production will be staged at the Morton Theatre, one of the oldest surviving African American–built, owned and operated vaudeville theaters in the United States. Located in downtown Athens, the venue opened in 1910 under the leadership of Monroe Bowers “Pink” Morton and has hosted performers including Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and Bessie Smith. Today the theater is a community performance space and cultural landmark, making it a fitting backdrop for a play about voices pushing their way into history.

Director Asia Meana said the rehearsal process has centered on what she calls the “revolutionary pulse.” “My cast entered the frame and made the material,” Meana said. “They felt it, too—each of them in their own individual way—and linked their expressions into a collective one. The piece you’ll experience is the product of that union.”

Costume designer Nathanael Tria said the team approached the play with an eye toward parallels between past and present. “It’s these connections to our past that drive The Revolutionists,” Tria said. Scenic designer Lindsey Taylor added that the “paper theater” style of the set reflects the instability of the revolutionary moment, while lighting designer Andrew Neal emphasized that the design highlights “the individuality of Gunderson’s characters.”

Julie Ray, head of the Department of Theatre and Film Studies, said the collaboration with the Morton Theatre has been an important part of the production. “We’re thrilled to share this story in a space as historically significant as the Morton,” Ray said. “Our cast and crew have invested deeply in this work, and we look forward to sharing it with audiences.”