Born with Teeth

The Guthrie Theater presents an Alley Theatre production of

by LIZ DUFFY ADAMS
directed by ROB MELROSE
McGuire Proscenium Stage

March 4 - April 2, 2023

A quick-witted faceoff

An aging authoritarian ruler, a violent police state and a restless, polarized people seething with paranoia: It’s a dangerous time for poets. Two of them — the great Kit Marlowe and the up-and-comer William Shakespeare — meet in the back room of a pub to collaborate on a history play cycle, navigate the perils of art under a totalitarian regime and flirt like young men with everything to lose. One of them may well be the death of the other.

Three things to know

Born With Teeth was developed at the Alley Theatre as part of their All New Reading Series and had its world premiere on the Alley stage in May 2022. The play depicts a fictional faceoff between playwrights Christopher “Kit” Marlowe and William Shakespeare.
Director Rob Melrose, who currently serves as Artistic Director at the Alley Theatre, returns to the Guthrie after helming the 2018 production of Frankenstein – Playing With Fire.
Born With Teeth cleverly invites the audience to witness the intimate, provocative relationship between two of the greatest writers in English literature — Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare. Both entertaining and intellectually engaging, this imagined meeting of the minds will delight theatergoers and be an ideal companion to our production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Ticket prices

Prices range from $20 to $80.

Group sales

All student and adult groups of 15 or more qualify for discounts on tickets to Guthrie productions.

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Run time

Approximately 1 hour, 30 minutes (no intermission)

Venue info

Born With Teeth will take place on the McGuire Proscenium Stage.

Pro tip: Can't do stairs or have a special seating request? Call the Box Office for details.

Content advisory

This production contains mature themes, strong language, sexual/suggestive content and the use of fog. Call the Box Office for more information.

Health and safety

As COVID-19 prevention efforts continue to evolve, we are adjusting our health and safety policies as needed. Effective immediately, masks are required for all Sunday performances. Masks are encouraged but not required for all Tuesday – Saturday performances. Proof of vaccination is not required to see a performance at the Guthrie.

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Accessibility

ASL-interpreted, audio-described and open-captioned performances are available on select dates.

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Digital program

Want to dig deeper? Check out the digital program.

Artists

Cast

Matthew Amendt

Kit

Dylan C. Godwin

Will

Creative Team

Liz Duffy Adams

Playwright

Rob Melrose

Director

GUTHRIE Frankenstein – Playing With Fire, Freud’s Last Session, Happy Days, Pen, Julius Caesar (with The Acting Company). THEATER Alley Theatre (Artistic Director): The Winter’s Tale, 1984, Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, Sweat, Born With Teeth, A Christmas Carol; Cutting Ball Theater (Former Artistic Director and Co-Founder): Timon of Athens, A Dreamplay, Ondine (world premiere), Mount Misery (world premiere), Strindberg Cycle: The Chamber Plays in Rep, Krispy Kritters in the Scarlett Night (world premiere), Pelleas & Melisande, the Bay Area premiere of Will Eno’s Lady Grey (in ever lower light), The Tempest, The Bald Soprano, Victims of Duty, Bone to Pick and Diadem (world premieres), Endgame, Krapp’s Last Tape, The Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth, Hamletmachine, As You Like It, The Death of the Last Black Man…; The Public Theater: Pericles, Prince of Tyre; Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Troilus and Cressida (with The Public Theater); Magic Theatre: An Accident (world premiere); The Old Globe: Much Ado About Nothing; PlayMakers Repertory Company: Happy Days; Black Box Theatre: The Creature (world premiere); The Actor’s Collective; Gamm Theatre; Crowded Fire Theater; Strindberg’s Intimate Theater (Stockholm, Sweden): Strindberg’s Svarta Handsken (The Black Glove); Translations: Woyzeck, Ubu Roi, Pelleas & Melisande, The Bald Soprano, The Chairs, No Exit, Communiqué n° 10, Where and When We Died, The Blind. PLAYWRITING Alley Theatre’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol, Helen of Troy, The Flat Earth, Divorsosaurus, When Human Voices Wake Us, Asylum, Serpentyne, a musical adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s Ozma of Oz with the San Francisco electro-rock group Z.O.N.K. AWARDS BATCC Best Director Award (The Creature); NEA/TCG Career Development Program for Theatre Directors (2007–2009 recipient). TEACHING Stanford University; University of California, Berkeley; University of San Francisco; University of Rhode Island; Marin Academy. TRAINING M.F.A., Yale School of Drama; B.A., Princeton University. www.robmelrose.com

Michael Locher

Scenic Designer

Alejo Vietti

Costume Designer

Carolina Ortiz Herrera

Lighting Designer

Cliff Caruthers

Sound Designer/Composer

Aaron Preusse

Fight Director

Jocelyn A. Thompson

Stage Manager

Lyndsey R. Harter

Assistant Stage Manager

Photos

Dylan Godwin and Matthew Amendt (Lynn Lane)

Matthew Amendt (Lynn Lane)

Dylan Godwin (Lynn Lane)

Matthew Amendt and Dylan Godwin (Lynn Lane)

Dylan Godwin and Matthew Amendt (Lynn Lane)

Matthew Amendt and Dylan Godwin (Lynn Lane)

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Celebrate 60 years of artistic excellence at the Guthrie.

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	Area 1A	Area 1	Area 2	Area 3	Area 4
All previews	$59.00	$49.00	$29.00	$20.00	$20.00
Tues, Wed evenings; weekday matinees	$66.00	$56.00	$46.00	$36.00	$31.00
Sun, Thu evenings	$69.00	$59.00	$49.00	$39.00	$34.00
Sat, Sun matinees	$72.00	$62.00	$52.00	$42.00	$37.00
Fri evenings	$75.00	$65.00	$55.00	$45.00	$40.00
Saturday evenings, Opening Nights	$79.00	$69.00	$59.00	$49.00	$44.00

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