… and One for All!

The Dumas monument in the Place du Général-Catroux in Paris features this bronze of D’Artagnan by Gustave Doré.

by Henry Woronicz, director
 
Alexander Dumas wrote his famous classic The Three Musketeers in 1844, releasing it in serialized form over the course of five months. It remains to this day one of the world’s great adventure tales—and “adventure” is the key word of this genre. Catherine Bush, in the opening stage directions of her brisk, straightforward adaption, lands this idea firmly: “The stage is dark. Music under—from the sound of it, we can tell we are in for an adventure!” And … we’re off!
 
This simple concept, we feel, must be the primary component to any stage production, and one which we have taken to heart. Dumas’s canvas is larger than life, and thereby demands a certain theatricality—and yet at the same time it must be firmly rooted in the humanity of its characters. Like all good serializations, there is an episodic, cliffhanger quality to The Three Musketeers, full of heart-pounding fun, derring-do, romance, and of course, a certain degree of tragedy. For all real adventure requires risking something important, often life and limb; the stakes should thus remain high for all involved. And all the while, of course, there is a clock ticking.
 
The Three Musketeers is a tale of lovers in peril, conspiracies, escapes, sword fights, knife fights, near misses, passionate kisses, tavern brawls, poison, revenge, heroism, and death. But also, of course … love. Which is indeed what keeps us returning to any story again and again—the very human connection to be found in love. Which may be the greatest adventure of them all.
 
We have had a glorious time bringing this vibrant story to life. And we hope that you will enjoy the ride.

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