Bughouse

Visionary director and MacArthur "Genius" Fellow Martha Clarke brings audiences inside the mind of Henry Darger, one of the 20th century's most startling outsider artists. A reclusive Chicago janitor, Darger created a vast fantastical universe in his cramped apartment, filling it with child warriors, epic battles, and haunting beauty across a 15,000-page illustrated novel and thousands of paintings, all discovered only after his death in 1973. The script is adapted from Darger's own writings by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Beth Henley (Crimes of the Heart), and the production stars Obie Award-winning performance artist John Kelly in a mesmerizing solo performance.

At approximately 70 minutes with no intermission, Bughouse is an intimate examination of a self-taught artist's compulsion to create, even when no one is watching. The production design by Neil Patel, projection design by John Narun, and animation by Ruth Lingford transform the stage into a dreamscape of Darger's interior visions, earning praise as a visually stunning theatrical experience. Presented at Vineyard Theatre in association with Jayne Baron Sherman. Recommended for ages 16+.

Special Performances: LGBTQ+ Night (2/26), Under 40 Night (3/3), Mask-Required (3/15), ASL-Interpreted (3/24).