Columbus and Vespucci slug it out on Amerigo

Columbus and Vespucci slug it out on Amerigo
April 26th, 2010

Plan-B Theatre Company's new play presents a dialog between Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci in purgatory

by Anand Rao

Who are we as Americans? Capitalists or visionaries, real-politik neo-cons, or passionate social reformers? A few of the questions playwright Eric Samuelson tries to answer in his new play Amerigo. All set to premier at the Plan-B Theatre Company's continuing 2009/10 season, Amerigo promises to tackle some sensitive issues.

Set in purgatory Christopherm, Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci sit across each other and engage in a freewheeling debate on America's discovery, who was truly responsible? Is it home to religious visionaries? A salesman's paradise? Sexualized commerce? Nature commoditized? And what is it that we Americans are destined to become? Niccolo Machiavelli, the father of political science moderates this interesting dialog, while the Mexican playwright-poet-lesbian nun Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz delivers her judgment.

Irreverently funny with witty dialog, Amerigo has all the ingredients to become one of Plan-B's talked about productions of the season. Director Jerry Rapier said, "We at Plan-B do consciously take up issues that can potentially open up intellectually stimulating debates and bring in unique perspectives."

Mark Fossen, Matthew Ivan Bennett, Kirt Bateman and Deena Marie Manzanares complete the cast of Amerigo.

Amerigo is part of "The Sampler," a partnership between five theatre companies at the Rose Wagner. Five plays can be watched for only $55 this spring/summer.