Archduke at Laura Pels Theatre

Roll up, roll up… The Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo) is delivering his signature wit and imagination to the Big Apple with the highly anticipated premiere of Archduke.

Directed by Tony Award® winner Darko Tresnjak (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder), this dark comedy play stars Jake Berne, Tony Award® nominee Kristine Nielsen, Tony Award® nominee Patrick Page, Adrien Rolet, and Jason Sanchez. Archduke is an exciting new play about fate, glory, and one very powerful mustache. The show follows Gavrilo Princip, better known as the assassin of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and his fellow revolutionaries, as they are reimagined into a hapless, helpless band of teenagers.

With stomach-hurting humor, Archduke transforms an important moment in global politics into an absurdly relevant experience at the theater. This show is not to be missed! Book your tickets now to avoid disappointment. 

Archduke Tickets

Archduke at Laura Pels Theatre

Archduke is playing at the Laura Pels Theatre this fall. Performances begin in October with preview performances running from 23rd October until 11th November 2025. This dramatic arts venue is known and loved in the theater circuit for its great original shows in an intimate setting. Located on 111 West 46th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues, Laura Pels Theatre includes a mainstage with just over 400 seats, and a small black box theater. Over the years, the New York venue has played host to some stand out shows like the musical She Loves Me, the drama Significant Other, as well as the contemporary play Scotland, PA. With a stunning interior and world-class acoustics, we highly recommend experiencing Archduke at the Laura Pels Theatre this fall! As you can imagine from an intimate yet popular venue, tickets sell out fast. To secure your places, we highly recommend booking your tickets today!

Synopsis

Archduke is a dark comedy play that reimagines the story of Gavrilo Princip and his fellow teenage revolutionaries. This time, they’re not cold-blooded assassins, but hapless, helpless youths caught between forces bigger than themselves. 

Set in Serbia in 1914, the show follows the young men as they get entangled in a plan to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Their actions set off the chain of events that trigger World War I.

Rajiv Joseph’s material uses sharp humor and irreverence to explore big questions about history, identity, and ideology, all the while showing how easily young people can be pulled into grand causes.

Creative Team

The cast includes Gavrilo played by Jake Berne, Sladjana by Tony nominee Kristine Nielsen, Dragutin “Apis” Dimitrijevic by Tony nominee Patrick Page, Trifko by Adrien Rolet, Nedeljko by Jason Sanchez, u/s Sladjana by Celeste Ciulla, u/s Trifko, Dragutin “Apis” Dimitrijevic by Tom Holcomb, and u/s Gavrilo, Nedeljko by Evan Paul Silverstein. 

The creative team includes Pulitzer Prize finalist playwright Rajiv Joseph (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo) and Tony Award® winning director Darko Tresnjak (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder). Scenic Design is by Alexander Dodge, Costume Design by Linda Cho, Lighting Design by Matthew Richards, Sound Design by Jane Shaw, Hair, Wig & Makeup Design by Tom Watson, and Fight Direction by Rocio Mendez.