our season

Machiavelli's The Prince

a new play based on the infamous ‘Handbook for Tyrants’

written and directed by Gary Graves

A Central Works Method Play developed in collaboration with Richard Frederick, Michael Navarra & Jan Zvaifler

August 22 – September 19

This world premiere puts Niccolo Machiavelli’s precepts to the test. Are human beings essentially good or fundamentally untrustworthy? Does the end always justify the means?  What practical alternative is there to the ruthless efficiency of tyranny?

 “He who considers it necessary to secure himself in his new principality, to win friends, either by force or fraud, to make himself beloved and feared by his people, to be followed and revered by his soldiers, to exterminate those who have the power to hurt him, to change the old order of things for a new one, to be severe and gracious, to destroy a disloyal soldiery and create a new one, to maintain friendships with kings and princes in such a way that they must help him with zeal and offend him with caution, cannot find a finer example than the actions of Duke Cesare Borgia.” —Machiavelli, The Prince, Chapter VII.

• Read Machiavelli's original masterpiece: The Prince
• Read the Central Works script: Machiavelli's The Prince
• Read the Press Release
• Read "Obama, you're no Machiavelli" by Michael Lind

“…a captivating drama about power and its effect on character." Rachel Swan, East Bay Express

“Central Works probably sets the highest artistic standard in the Bay area for consistently intelligent, provocative, and relevant drama.” George Heymont, myculturallandscape.com

 “…fenomenal producción traída por el grupo Central Works para el verdadero deleite mental del público que adora de excelente teatro.” Mario Echevarria, SF Tribune

 “a smart exploration of politics and ethics” Chris Jenson, SF Weekly