THE ART OF MARTYRDOM (A Comedy)

by Rita Anderson

THE ART OF MARTYRDOM is an irreverent look at Hrosvitha, our foremother and the first female playwright, and the script is an exploration of the 10th century nun’s secret playfulness and about how her "secret" plays got out. –But, if our first female playwright lived 500 years before Shakespeare, then why has no one heard of her? An historical play that’s told with a comic, magical-realism bent, and its new eyes...

THE ART OF MARTYRDOM is an irreverent look at Hrosvitha, our foremother and the first female playwright, and the script is an exploration of the 10th century nun’s secret playfulness and about how her "secret" plays got out. –But, if our first female playwright lived 500 years before Shakespeare, then why has no one heard of her? An historical play that’s told with a comic, magical-realism bent, and its new eyes on an old world telling will resonate with contemporary audiences. One-Act (90 minutes).

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THE ART OF MARTYRDOM (A Comedy)

Recommended by

  • Brent Alles: THE ART OF MARTYRDOM (A Comedy)

    There's much to enjoy here in this clever mix of history, hagiography, and classical theater with a good vein of humor that runs throughout. The anachronisms of the Muse that were peppered throughout the script were especially very amusing indeed. You learn much from this play, but you also are very entertained in the presentation of a subject that many may not have been previously aware. This would definitely be a great night of theater to attend!

    There's much to enjoy here in this clever mix of history, hagiography, and classical theater with a good vein of humor that runs throughout. The anachronisms of the Muse that were peppered throughout the script were especially very amusing indeed. You learn much from this play, but you also are very entertained in the presentation of a subject that many may not have been previously aware. This would definitely be a great night of theater to attend!

  • Kelly McBurnette-Andronicos: THE ART OF MARTYRDOM (A Comedy)

    Charming! Delightful! Anderson was clearly touched by the Muse herself when she wrote this full length play about the first-known woman playwright. The characters are fully formed, the story crystal clear, and the anachronistic elements seamlessly incorporated. And what a beautiful, poignant twist she gifts us with at the end. This play is a wonder. Highly recommend.

    Charming! Delightful! Anderson was clearly touched by the Muse herself when she wrote this full length play about the first-known woman playwright. The characters are fully formed, the story crystal clear, and the anachronistic elements seamlessly incorporated. And what a beautiful, poignant twist she gifts us with at the end. This play is a wonder. Highly recommend.

  • Paul Donnelly: THE ART OF MARTYRDOM (A Comedy)

    The Art of Martyrdom (A Comedy) most vigorously frees Hrosvitha from the mists of history and renders her and her work with power and insight. The play seamless melds the humorously mundane, the magically inspired, and the gift of her craft. We are taken to a world, not unlike our own, where women's voices are not valued as they should be, but in which, like Hrosvitha, they continue to create undeterred by circumstances.

    The Art of Martyrdom (A Comedy) most vigorously frees Hrosvitha from the mists of history and renders her and her work with power and insight. The play seamless melds the humorously mundane, the magically inspired, and the gift of her craft. We are taken to a world, not unlike our own, where women's voices are not valued as they should be, but in which, like Hrosvitha, they continue to create undeterred by circumstances.

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Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization Wild Imaginings (Waco, TX), Year 2024
  • Type Reading, Organization FRESH READS 2023 (Pegasus Theatre), Year 2023
  • Type Reading, Organization Gaslight Baker Theatre, Year 2021
  • Type Reading, Organization International Women's Voices Day, Year 2019

Production History

  • Type Community Theater, Organization Wild Imaginings, Year 2025
  • Type Professional, Organization The Vortex Repertory Theatre, Year 2023

Awards

  • 2023 Season
    New York Classical Theatre
    Semi-Finalist
  • "Outstanding Original Script"
    B. Iden Payne Arts Council
    Winner
    2023
  • Madison New Works Laboratory (MNWL)
    Madison New Works Laboratory (MNWL)
    Runner Up
    2018
  • Top Ten Finalist
    Philadelphia Women’s Theatre Festival (PWTF)
    Finalist
    2018