Philadelphia Theatre Company | 2007/2008 Season | M. Butterfly, a Philadelphia Premiere by David Henry Hwang

By David Henry Hwang
Directed by Joe Calarco
January 18 - February 24, 2008

Based on a true story, M. Butterfly is a provocative and captivating story of lust, politics, and betrayal. A French diplomat falls in love with a Chinese opera singer who is to him, the "perfect woman," yet this Chinese butterfly of his passions is ultimately revealed to be far more than she seems. Inspired by Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly, David Henry Hwang's stunningly theatrical Tony Award-winning Best Play illuminates the stereotypes that underlie and threaten relations between East and West – and men and women.

One of the landmark plays of contemporary American drama. Brilliant and complex...visually stunning...a blazing moment of theatricality!

–Philadelphia Inquirer

A thrilling, fascinating play about the roles we adopt – and how in the end the greatest illusions are our own.

–Philadelphia Weekly [Review]

A handsome production, brilliantly staged with eye-opening special effects!

–KYW Newsradio [Review]

M. Butterfly is exuberant and provocative, an audience-pleasing night of theatre.

–Curtain Up [Review]

A stunning production [that] will keep you talking and thinking for quite a while after you've left the theater!

–Chestnut Hill Local

David Henry Hwang's M. Butterfly is ripe with juicy theatricality, and Joe Calarco's production exploits it to the fullest.

–City Paper

This is an effective production of a powerful and thoughtful play – a work that has a lot to say and has found, in this production, an effective way to say it.

–Talkin' Broadway