Cleveland Play House Presents a Modern Tartuffe

There are many reasons that one might prefer modern work over something considered “a classic.” Perhaps one of the greatest reasons? Apprehension. Unfamiliar pace, prose, structure and historical context is enough to leave almost any audience intimidated–this isn’t even to mention the historical role elitism has played in the accessibility of theater.

“Tartuffe,” a piece originally published in 1664 by French playwright Molière, is one such classic that may, at first, cause apprehension. Yet in the capable hands of Cleveland Play House, the centuries-old “Tartuffe” is given a clever ‘80s sitcom twist that modern audiences will find wholly accessible and entirely enjoyable.

Molière’s classic, satirical comedy begins by dropping audiences into the middle of a conflict. The conman Tartuffe has wormed his way into the good graces of Orgon, the head of a wealthy household. Orgon believes Tartuffe to be a holy, pious saint of a man, but the rest of his family–wife Elmire, son Damis, daughter Mariane, and servant Dorine–sees through the impostor’s act. As Tartuffe digs his treacherous barbs deeper into Orgon, the rest of the household races to unmask his schemes before Orgon loses house, honor and fortune to the conman.

80s hits–interspersed with recognizable sound bites from the era–are played throughout the house as you find your seat in the Outcalt theater for this second-to-last show of Cleveland Play House’s 2025-26 season. An impressive foyer with tiled floors, a crystal chandelier, modular leather benches and decorative statues of gold cheetahs is surrounded on three sides by audience seating. Were the audio clips of Ronald Reagan from designer Jacqueline Herter or the art-deco sconces and bannisters of Raul Abrego’s set design not enough to clue you in to the creative liberties being taken with this show, the opening sequence surely will.

The cast enters the stage to campy, upbeat music. Each character is given a moment in the spotlight to express their personality before they pose and smile for the audience. This sequence is tail-ended by an announcement that “Tartuffe was filmed in front of a live studio audience.”

Director Jason O’Connell has not only set Molière’s satire in the 1980s, but has framed the entire piece through the lens of an 80s sitcom. It’s a rather unique approach, and one that works incredibly well.

This success stems from not only a rich understanding of Molière’s characters, but also the ability to relate and translate the playwright’s humor–and Ranjit Bolt’s translation of the script–into a familiar format with which many modern audiences can immediately identify.

Embodying the stubborn, blundering patriarch figure so commonly found in the sitcom is actor Chris Thorn. As Orgon, Thorn is highly physical and extremely theatrical. He plays the dense, rather foolish, character with a naivete and charm that render him incredibly likable despite his blunders.

Is it any surprise that Orgon’s wife, Elmire, is far smarter than her husband? So goes the trope, and so Elmire is portrayed by the dashing Brianna Miller. Elmire is one of the more reasonable, brainy characters, making her exasperated, dismayed reactions to the antics of her family especially hilarious.

Also a voice of reason, is the household servant, Dorine. Cast as the wisecracking, witty servant is Meredith Nelson, who plays Dorine with a heavy dose of sass. While the head of the household might not give her the credit she is due, Dorine has sway with the home’s children, whom she often advises.

Desperate for Dorine’s advice is Mariane, played by actress Christina McSheffrey, who is despondent when her father promises her hand in marriage to Tartuffe, when in truth, Mariane wants to marry Valere, a charming youth embodied by Brendan Lowry. Playing Mariane’s brother, Damis, with hot-headed reactions and humorous largeness is Adam Ortega.

Sitting at the heart of the conflict is, of course, Tartuffe. Cast in the role of the titular antagonist is Tom Ford, who adopts a disarming accent and the air of a conman–charming one second and conniving the next. The televangelist inspiration for this production’s Tartuffe character is as hilarious as it is clever, and it is a role that is well-played by Ford.

Costume designer An-Lin Dauber dresses the cast in clothing that screams 80s, while also ensuring that the choice of every leg warmer and padded shoulder provides insight into a character’s individual personality. The production also appears to have pulled inspiration for each character from a different sitcom–fans of the genre will certainly have fun determining who might be inspired by what. Musical montages between scene changes, accompanied by retro pink and purple lighting by Dawn Chiang, give the show additional sitcom charm.

The ending of “Tartuffe” comes about abruptly–a choice that made sense for playwright Molière, who cleverly found a way to compliment his king in a piece that is otherwise largely critical of religion (another powerful player at the time). This ending is given hilarious treatment in this production, and the abruptness of the ending fits the sitcom formula.

It’s important to note that the entirety of the script is performed in rhyming pairs of twelve-syllable lines called Alexandrine couplets, and while these rhymes take a moment to get used to, they quickly blend into a rhythmic, natural cadence.

Much has changed in three and a half centuries, but Cleveland Play House’s production, with its clever modernization of “Tartuffe,” helps remind us of the lasting power and relevance of satire.

“Tartuffe” runs through April 26, 2026 at the Cleveland Play House in the Outcalt Theatre,1407 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland. Tickets can be purchased by calling (216) 241-6000 or by visiting clevelandplayhouse.com, $60-72.

Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.