Performances begin September 7 at The Flea Theater for the world premiere of Mac Wellman's The Invention of Tragedy. The new play, directed by Meghan Finn, is part of The Flea's festival of Wellman works celebrating the three-time Obie Award-winning playwright and poet, as well as one of The Flea's co-founders.

The festival, Mac Wellman: Perfect Catastrophes, A Festival of Plays, kicked off August 24 and continues through November 1.

In The Invention of Tragedy, a chorus of students are trying like the devil to tell a simple story—perhaps the story about the tragedy of the Sandwich Man—with sandwich boards upon which nothing is written, and hence, say nothing. The play is an examination of the post-9/11 world and America’s general and genial acceptance of the Iraq war.

The cast is made up of Sophia Aranda, Mirra Kardonne, Alice Marcondes, Sarah Alice Shull, Renee Harrison, Macy Lacenta, Madelyn Rose Robinson, Zoe Zimin, Drita Kabashi, Susan Ly, and Ana Semedo.

The creative team features scenic designers Christopher and Justin Swader, costume designer Alice Tavener, lighting designer Brian Alduous, sound designer Espii Procter, choreographer Chanon Judson, composer Michael Cassedy, production stage manager Haley Gordon, and assistant lighting designer Michael Hernandez. Jake Beckhard and Ran Xia are the assistant directors on the show.

Mac Wellman: Perfect Catastrophes, A Festival of Plays features five works by Wellman. As a part of the festival, The Flea will also hold a symposium examining Wellman's impact on the American theatre October 4–6.