Overview
Synopsis
Captain Dreyfus, a French officer of Jewish descent, is falsely convicted of treason in 1894. He is charged with selling military secrets to an alien government in an anti-Semetic conspiracy and is tormented on Devil’s Island as he lives out a life sentence. Captain Dreyfus longs to be reunited with his wife, Lucy, and their child, but is beginning to lose hope. Can Dreyfus find a way off of Devil’s Island before he loses his mind? Captain Dreyfus is a historical drama about the perseverance of a Jewish man in the face of anti-Semitism. Originally written in Yiddish, this guide uses the English translation of Captain Dreyfus, which was adapted by David Serero.
Notes from the Author: There may be double-casting to reduce the number of males required for this show and the populace may be composed largely of women. According to the historical data, Dreyfus’ child would be around three years old. For the purposes of the play, you may omit the dialogue that references his children.
Show Information
- Book
- Jacob Gordin
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 1
- First Produced
- 1898
- Genres
- Drama, Historical/Biographical
- Settings
- Period, Simple/No Set
- Time & Place
- A bleak rock that forms one of the islands in the group known as Devil’s Island, 1894 - 1899
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Diverse Cast, Community Theatre, High School, Mostly Male Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast, Star Vehicle Male, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Mature Adult, Child Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Silent |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Non-singer |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
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Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Emma Houlahan
Canadian vocalist and actor now based in London.