The Classical Theatre of Harlem presents a World Premiere
Betty Shamieh’s Fit for a Queen is a comedy inspired by the life of Hatshepsut, a woman who ruled as a pharaoh in ancient Egypt. Hatshepsut’s female lover helps her usurp the throne, only to find herself at odds with an unexpectedly ruthless rival for power – her daughter.
Full of intrigue, farce, and sexual politics, Fit for a Queen illuminates the largely unknown history of a compelling Egyptian woman who took power over the ancient world’s most advanced civilization.
Far from the likes of her female successors Cleopatra and Elizabeth I, Hatshepsut ruled as a monarch in men’s clothing, demanding people refer to her as “pharaoh,” which is strictly a male title. She wielded her power through a persona of alpha-masculinity, which was tolerated only while she was alive. The images and statues that portrayed Hatshepsut as a masculine pharaoh were defaced and destroyed during her son-in-law’s reign. Her enemies almost succeeded in erasing the legacy of a woman who ruled the superpower of the ancient world.
Directed by Tamilla Woodard
Featuring April Yvette Thompson
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:
TUESDAY thru SATURDAY @ 8 PM
SUNDAY @ 2 PM
