Tartuffe [House of the Redeemer, 27 October 2025] ; Tartuffe [New York Theatre Workshop, 20 December 2025]

New York City had the distinct pleasure of being visited by two productions of Moliere’s Tartuffe in the past couple of months. The first was a site specific production at the House of the Redeemer featuring Broadway legend Andre DeShields in the titular role. The second took place at New York Theatre Workshop, featuring Matthew Broderick as Tartuffe surrounded by NYC theatre scene royalty in the supporting roles. The story follows a household plagued by an unwanted guest, Tartuffe, who has bamboozled Orgon, the owner of the house, into thinking that Tartuffe is a religious man who can do no wrong. Drama ensues when Orgon breaks up his daughter Mariane’s happy impending marriage to wed her to Tartuffe while Tartuffe tries to sleep with Orgon’s wife, Elmire. In the midst of the hijinks, Orgon signs his inheritance over to Tartuffe and has the wool and the estate simultaneously pulled from his eyes. The comedy has a happy ending for all but Tartuffe, who is banished from the household.

Both productions preserved the intended rhyme scheme in their translations and interpretations. The cast at New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) was more successful at communicating the meaning of each phrase, while the House of the Redeemer (HoR) cast at times fell victim to trying so hard to preserve the rhyme that the lines blended together in a singsong way. They also both leaned into the humor in Orgon’s mother, Mme. Parnelle being played by someone assigned male at birth (Todd Buonopane in HoR; drag performer Bianca Del Rio in NYTW); beyond that, they made very different characterization choices. Damis was a serious role for Tyler Hardwick in HoR, and an absolute mockery for Ryan J. Haddad in NYTW. HoR chose a placid, calm, unyielding Elmire in Amber Iman, while NYTW’s Amber Gray infused the role with anxiety. Both productions sexualized the witty and irreverent Dorinne, but at HoR, Phoebe Dunn’s performance was young, eager, and genuine, while NYTW’s Lisa Kron portrayed her as someone whose wit stemmed from having been around the block a few times—there was glee in her sarcastic bite. I barely remember Hannah Beck’s Cleante (HoR), but Francis Jue’s(NYTW) Cleante brought an interesting, Christian element to the conversation that was simply fascinating.

The biggest philosophical difference is that which each world was built around: what kind of role is Tartuffe? House of the Redeemer placed Andre DeShields in a position of supreme power. Whenever he was in the space, the space changed to accommodate him—these were HoR’s production’s only light cues and sound cues, and DeShields walked through a world that he clearly did not belong in. This effect was heightened by the fact that his acting skills were far superior to the cast surrounding him, letting the audience see and appreciate Tartuffe as a character not of this world. NYTW took a different approach to this unwanted visitor. Matthew Broderick played Tartuffe as a very small man, bewildered by Orgon’s (David Cross, NYTW) misinterpretations of him—a conman of equal if not lesser value than those around him. Matched with a cast of his equals, Matthew Broderick’s Tartuffe was portrayed as a mere mortal among mortals, taking advantage of fortuitous situations without trying to hide them but not fully capable of making them happen.

Though House of the Redeemer’s site specific nature and the grand power of Andre DeShields had a bigger difference between its highs and its lows and created some truly fascinating, chilling moments, New York Theatre Workshop’s production was more enjoyable to watch because it was even throughout and kept the laughter and irony going in a more meaningful way. The social commentary came through more clearly at NYTW, and the story was easier to follow and focus on without actors waiting in the wings in full view all around the audience adding chaos and confusion to where to focus, as was the case at HoR. These productions embody two different business philosophies—HoR decided to invest in one very famous, accomplished actor to bring in the crowds. NYTW chose to invest in the strength of the NYC theatre community and create a cast where all parts of the story are treated with equal care. Though I don’t have a financial comparison between the two productions available to me, as an advocate for the arts, I have a personal soft spot for NYTW’s approach—investing in the strength of the play over one single player. This is why I believe their telling of Moliere’s Tartuffe to be the superior one.

Read the Pages on Stages review of Tartuffe at House of the Redeemer here. I attended Tartuffe at House of the Redeemer on a press pass from Boneau/Bryan-Brown.

Read the Pages on Stages review of Tartuffe at New York Theatre Workshop here. I attended Tartuffe at New York Theatre Work Shop on a press pass from Print Shop PR.