DORIAN

By Phoebe Eclair-Powell and Owen Horsley

March 28 – April 13, 2025

A North American Premiere Production.
An Adaption of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Directed by Mason Beggs.

One man’s descent from glorious debauchery to epic self-destruction. 

Dip into the seductive world of Dorian, a mesmerizing new adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s timeless tale, crafted by Phoebe Eclair-Powell and Owen Horsley. Join us for the North American Premiere of an unforgettable journey through the depths of hedonism, narcissism, and eternal beauty, where one man’s descent into darkness becomes a gripping exploration of morality and self-destruction.

This thrilling stage adaptation delves into Wilde’s own life story, intertwining it with the haunting narrative of Dorian Gray’s tragic downfall. Premiering to critical acclaim at Reading Rep Theatre, this production promises to captivate audiences with its daring blend of glamor, grotesque, and unabashed originality.

Experience the pulse-pounding excitement of “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” hailed by The Guardian as “eye-poppingly experimental” and celebrated by The Stage as a “radical adaptation” reaffirming the piece’s significance as a touchstone of queer art. With sizzling homoerotic fervor and deliciously camp allure, this is a theatrical event not to be missed. Expect to be dazzled, enthralled, and utterly captivated by the electrifying spectacle that awaits.

Additional Programming:

Open Rehearsal (for Subscribers Only): Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 6:30pm

Community Matinee Preview ($12/Ticket):  Thursday, March 27, 2025 at 10:00am
*This season, we’re merging our Community Matinee with our Preview Performance. For just $12/ticket, attend the final dress rehearsal at 10:00am.

Opening Night Reception: Friday, March 28, 2025 at 7:30pm

Pay-What-You-Will Performances*: 
Saturday, March 29, 2025 at 2:00pm
Saturday, March 29, 2025 at 7:30pm
Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 7:30pm
Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 7:30pm
(*Purchase in-person at the Box Office on the day of the performance. Seating subject to availability.)

Speaker Series: Sunday, April 6, 2025 at 1:30pm

Talk Back Thursdays: Engage with the Creators! After every Thursday performance, stay for a free Talk Back where members of the creative team discuss their roles and answer your questions about their creative journey.
Thursday, March 27, 2025 at 10:00am
Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 7:30pm
Thursday, April 10, 2025 at 7:30pm

Open Captioned Performance: Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 2:00pm
(Open Captioned Performances: An LED captioning screen, located in the South East corner of the theatre displays the dialogue and any other audio portion of the production in text form in sync with the performance. For questions about reserving seating in view of the captioning signage, please contact ICTC’s Box Office at 716-853-4282 (voice), or email BoxOffice@irishclassical.com.)

About the Playwrights:

Phoebe Eclair-Powell is a writer from South East London. Her plays include: Shed: Exploded View (Royal Exchange, Manchester, 2024); Dorian, adapted with Owen Horsley from Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray (Reading Rep Theatre, 2021); Harm (Bush Theatre, 2021); Epic Love and Pop Songs (Pleasance, Edinburgh, 2016); Fury (Soho Theatre, 2016); WINK (Theatre503, 2015); One Under (Pleasance Below); Mrs Spine (OUTLINES at the Old Red Lion); Bangin’ Wolves (Courting Drama at the Bush Upstairs, published by Playdead Press, later with Poleroid Theatre for Wilderness Festival); two rapid write response pieces, Coal Eaters and Glass Hands (Theatre503); The Box (Theatre Delicatessen SPACED festival and Latitude Festival); Elephant and My Castle (SALT Theatre at Southwark Playhouse); CARE (Miniaturists at the Arcola).

She was the overall winner of the 2019 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, for her play Shed: Exploded View. Fury was a finalist for the 2015 Verity Bargate Award, and the winner of the Soho Theatre Young Writers’ Award.

Owen Horsley is an Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Directing credits include Diana: The Musical (Hammersmith Apollo), Into the Woods (RWCMD) La Cenerentola (Nevill Holt Opera), Linck & Mülhahn (Hampstead Theatre), Wars of the Roses (RSC) Maydays by David Edgar (RSC), Salome by Oscar Wilde (RSC) The Famous Victories of Henry V (RSC), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Garsington Opera), Henry V (Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre) and The Picture of Dorian Gray (Watermill Theatre)

Owen was Associate Director on the RSC King and Country Tour and worked with Artistic Director Gregory Doran on Richard II and Henry IV Part 1 and 2 and Henry V from 2013-16.

Owen is also an Associate Director for Cheek by Jowl. He was Assistant Director to Declan Donnellan on The Changeling (2006) Cymbeline (2007), Troilus and Cressida (2008), Macbeth (2009-11) and ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore (2011-13) becoming Associate Director in 2010. Owen Co-Directed the 2013 Tour of Tis Pity.

Other directing credits include Alls Well That Ends Well (Stella Adler), The Two Noble Kinsmen (RWCMD) Outside on the Street (Edinburgh Fringe and Arcola) Antony and Cleopatra, Lysistrata, As You Like It (Guildhall School of Music and Drama), Edward II (St Andrew’s Crypt), In Bed With Messalina (Courtyard Theatre) See What I See (St Clements Mental Hospital) and The Duchess of Malfi (Southwark Playhouse and UK Tour).

Owen created Bard City in 2016, which offers Shakespeare training in New York as well as presenting innovative versions of his work.

Owen works extensively Internationally. He has led workshops in Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, USA, China and France. Owen’s first Spanish production, The Malcontent, opened at the Almagro Festival in August 2011 before transferring to Madrid.