by Christopher Marlowe directed by Patrick Dooley

If I had the opportunity to speak to each one of you over a couple of tumblers of bourbon, I would probably find the following points worth mentioning:

1. As you may or may not know, there are two different and accepted versions of this play attributed to Marlowe. One is dated 1604 and one is dated 1616. They are essentially the same but the 1616 version has more characters and more dialogue. My problem with this later version is that the additional text does not justifiably advance the story. There are some who will tell you that the 1604 text is inferior work, perhaps written by some actor. I don't care who wrote it. It's the better play.

2. "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" This question comes from the Book of Matthew in the King James version of the Bible dated 1611. Not only does this pertain to the thematic course of the play, but it also provides me with an opportunity to take issue with the genderization of this play and the world. The words "man," "makind," and "gentlemen" are often used to describe all of us. To rewrite the play would make gender a non-issue; making it an issue creates dialogue. Dialogue creates change.

3. This play is about a man who sells his soul to the devil for wealth, power, and knowledge - worldly effects. We have all at one time or another wished for that genie, leprechaun, or fairy godmother to grant our every wish. What would you ask for? What have we sacrificed if our life is spent in pursuit of material gains? When are we human? When do we love?


This spectacle was successful enough to earn us 3 Dramalogue Awards (Direction, Set Design and Overall Production). Nearly one thousand people saw the show at La Val's and when we moved it to the 450 Geary space in SF. Laura McNall's costume creations blew audiences away with their brilliance and bawdiness.

Opened: Saturday, April 1, 1995 at La Val's Subterranean & May 25, 1995 at 450 Geary at 9:00 pm
Performed: Thursday, Friday & Saturday at 9:00 pm
Performed At: La Val's Subterranean Theatre, 1834 Euclid Avenue, Berkeley & 450 Geary Theatre, 450 Geary Street, San Francisco
Closed: May 6, 1995 at La Val's Subterranean & June 10, 1995 at 450 Geary

Aaron Davidman as Doctor Faustus
Vanessa Hopkins as Mephistopheles
Judy Phillips as Good Angel/Evil Angel, Baliol (a Devil), Ralph, the Pope, Alexander's Paramour & the Duchess of Vanholt
Richard Reinholdt as the Prologue, Lucifer & a Young and Virtuous Man
Tania Rodrigues as Valdes (a Conjuror), a Scholar, Belcher (a Devil), a Friar, a Knight, & a Vintner
Richard Silberg as Cornelius (a Conjuror), a Scholar, Robin the Ostler, the Cardinal of Lorraine, Alexander the Great & the Duke of Vanholt
Michael Storm as Wagner (Servant to Faustus), the Hot Whore, the Seven Deadly Sins, a Friar, the Emperor & a Horse-Courser

Patrick Dooley, director
Stan Spenger, dramaturg
Michael Frassinelli, set design and construction
Lewis Taylor, lighting design
Laura McNall, costume design
Trick Redman, sound design & house manager
Alex Lopez, light board operator
Ray Looney, sound board operator
Richard Reinholdt, graphic design & publicity
Patrick Dooley, artistic director

Steven Winn for SF Chronicle
Neva Chonin for the SF Bay Guardian
Christopher Hawthorne for The East Bay Express
Farella Braun & Martel
Dean Goodman for Drama-Logue