This one-set drama with six men is the story of the one true love in life of Michelangelo Buonarroti, one of the greatest artist and sculptor of all time. The play, which is based on real characters and actual events, is the story of the artist using an Italian aristocrat, Tomasso de' Cavalieri, as the model for his famous statue. While creating this masterpiece, the two of them create a relationship doomed from the start.

THE CAST

• MICHELANGELO BUONARROTI – At age 58, already Italy's foremost sculptor
• TOMMASO de' CAVALIERI – A young Italian nobleman
• URBINO – Michelangelo's long-time assistant
• SALVATORE – Michelangelo apprentice
• THE POPE
• ZAMMATO

(All are historic people, except for Zammato)

THE SET

The set is basically a unit set representing two of Michelangelo's workshops – one in Rome and the other in Milan. The set has a drape upstage supposedly covering an entrance to a room for chiseling. For the first workshop, the drape is closed. In the second workshop (beginning in Scene 3) the drape is pulled back a little revealing the corner of a block of marble. In later scenes you can see the foot of David partially carved.

THE STORY

When the Pope asks overbearing Michelangelo, 68, to take the wealthy, aristocratic, 18-year-old Tommaso as his third apprentice, the artist refuses. But when the clever pontiff adds Italy's largest piece of Carrara marble to the deal, Michelangelo accepts. Tomasso is obviously ignored until work on the statue of David begins and the beautiful apprentice is picked to be the model for it. Working together day after day bonds a close relationship, though they argue about religion — the creation in seven days, the Church's first mention of hell and about the elimination of gospels like that of St. Thomas. But conflicts arise when the overly religious Michelangelo realizes he's falling in love with the atheistic, well-educated boy. To show his love he writes more than 100 love poems to Tommaso, most of which still exist today. After one explosive religious quarrel Tommaso is gone and Michelangelo's world is shattered until he lies dying.

NUDITY OR NOT

A long list of Broadway plays include nudity: "Equus," "Hair," "Take Me Out," "The Full Monty," and the stage version of "The Graduate." Even though nudity is an integral part of this story, there is a script version available without nudity.

THE AUTHOR

Ted Bacino co-authored his recent play, "The Shakespeare Conspiracy," based on his novel of the same title. The play has had productions Off-Broadway and in U.S. cities like Fort Lauderdale, Cleveland, Chicago, Oklahoma City and later this season in Columbus.