The Widow Ranter

The doomed romance between an English colonialist and a Native American princess forms the backdrop for this tale of lust and intrigue in historic Jamestown, VA. At the play’s center is Madam Ranter, a woman who---much like the author herself---can drink, smoke and swear with the best of men, and if necessary, will resort to deceit and disguise to achieve her goal of an independent life. This comedy of political, sexual, and cultural clashes is a revealing and startlingly contemporary vision of early America. The playwright, a former spy for Britain and colonist in South America, was the first woman ever to make a living writing for the stage in the English language.