Faust, Part One

Play

Writers: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Overview

Show Information

Category
Play
Number of Acts
3
First Produced
1808
Genres
Drama, Tragedy
Settings
Period, Multiple Settings, Spectacle
Time & Place
Germany, 1800s
Cast Size
large
Licensor
None/royalty-free
Ideal for
College/University, Large Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Male
Casting Notes
Mostly male cast
Includes adult, young adult, late teen, mature adult, elderly characters

Synopsis

Heinrich Faust--a German scientist, philosopher, alchemist, and erudite--believes that he has no more to learn. This thought propels him into despair, and on the verge of suicide, the demon Mephistopheles appears and promises unlimited knowledge and power. The cost is only Faust’s soul--on the condition that Faust will feel a moment of pure happiness and contentment. Faust agrees, and the two begin a tragic adventure of black magic, sin, and death. Based on the legend of Johann Georg Faust, Goethe’s Faust, Part One is one of the most profoundly influential dramatizations of the story and a true masterpiece of German theatre.

Lead Characters


Faust, Part One guide sections