In Amadeus, Peter Shaffer examines the poisonous power of perfectionism through composer Antonio Salieri, who succumbs to the toxic influence of envy because his best can never compare to that of his rival, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. To add insult to injury, while Salieri is a Godly man, Mozart is young and profane. Like many teen stars we regularly see in tabloid news today, Mozart does not know how to behave in public.
Author Peter Shaffer does not shy away from sticking to historical accuracy when it comes to Mozart's well-documented regular use of foul language and vulgarity. In fact, it is also well known that several of his pieces required "scrubbing" so his operas could be produced in public.
We all understand what it is like to be imperfect and to gaze at the person who seems to “have it all.” In a world where we are not all geniuses, how do we face our own best?
Amadeus features the following themes:
Excellence verses perfectionism
The dangers of jealousy
Self-respect
The dangers of fame and stardom
Sexual innuendo and adultery
Content advisory: Bathroom humor, infidelity, discussion of STIs, extremely foul and adult language including references to body parts.
Stageworks Theatre recommends this production for audiences ages 13 and up following a similar standard in the movie industry for a show of this nature, but parental discretion is STRONGLY advised in these instances.
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