Inland Classical Theater is bringing an 18th-century French comedy to an outdoor stage in the Inland Northwest, with its production of “The Triumph of Love” opening Friday at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture amphitheater in Spokane. The run continues through June 28, offering North Idaho and eastern Washington audiences an evening of classical theater under the summer sky.
A Play That Has Waited Two Decades for a Rematch
Written by French playwright Pierre de Marivaux and first performed in 1732, “The Triumph of Love” is not a widely familiar title — Artistic Director Abby Burlingame said she could count on one hand the number of people who recognized the name when she mentioned it. That unfamiliarity didn’t give her pause for long. The play was brought to her attention by director Scott Doughty, who had staged it roughly two decades earlier and clearly never forgot it.
Doughty described the work as balancing broad physical comedy with genuine poetic beauty. “It’s funny, it’s romantic,” he said. “The language is absolutely beautiful. It rides this line between being a big physical farce, and then it’ll slip into poetry, and it’s simply beautiful.”
Burlingame, for her part, came to appreciate what the 300-year-old script still has to say. She noted that even without a direct connection to current headlines, the play continues to speak to something human beings still wrestle with. “Even if it doesn’t have a super topical, ripped-from-the-headlines engaging directly with something that’s going on in the world, it still is speaking to something that we still struggle with as people,” she said.
Outdoor Setting, Commedia Tradition, and a Breeze Through the Scenery
The production leans into its outdoor setting — fitting, since the play itself is set in a garden. Inland Classical Theater has designed moveable set pieces featuring painted trees and greenery on fabric, allowing the scenery to shift gently in the wind and reinforce the natural atmosphere of the amphitheater space.
The production also draws on the commedia dell’arte tradition, incorporating masks for the performers. That choice connects the Marivaux script to the theatrical roots it grew from — Italian masked comedy that influenced much of European stage work in the 17th and 18th centuries.
The cast features Abby Constable in the lead role of Léonide, alongside Steve Lloyd as Hermocrates, Ali Aboud as Agis, and Deborah Marlowe as Leontine. Jaz Vega, Jeffrey St. George, and Max Quintal round out the ensemble.
Following a Strong Season for Inland Classical
“The Triumph of Love” arrives on the heels of Inland Classical Theater’s previous production, “Mary Stuart,” continuing what has been an active stretch for the company. Bringing a lesser-known classical work to a regional outdoor venue reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to theatrical programming that reaches beyond the standard canon — offering Kootenai County residents and their neighbors across the Idaho-Washington border a chance to see work that rarely appears on local stages.
For those in Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, and surrounding North Idaho communities, the MAC amphitheater is a short drive across the state line and represents one of the region’s most accessible outdoor performance venues during the summer months. The Inland Northwest arts scene continues to draw on both sides of the border, and productions like this one are part of what keeps that cultural exchange alive.
Those interested in attending can check the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture’s schedule for showtimes and ticketing details before the June 28 close of the run. For more on community and cultural events across Kootenai County, visit how faith communities are shaping North Idaho’s cultural landscape or explore local happenings at Coeur d’Alene’s City Park celebrations this summer.
What Comes Next
Performances of “The Triumph of Love” continue at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture amphitheater in Spokane through June 28. Theatergoers are encouraged to check with the venue directly for performance times, ticket prices, and any weather-related updates for the outdoor production.