The Cuttlefish, or the Hyrcanian Worldview
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Comedy/Drama
Runs Mar 19Apr 25, 2026

Trap Door Theatre Presents

The Cuttlefish, or the Hyrcanian Worldview

Written by Stanisław I. Witkiewicz

Translated by Daniel Gerould

Directed by Nicole Wiesner

March 19–April 25, 2026

Part philosophical farce, part surreal fever dream—Witkiewicz’s The Cuttlefish, or the Hyrcanian Worldview is a razor-sharp satire of art under pressure. In a world where creativity is consumed by control and individuality is crushed beneath the weight of conformity, an artist spirals into crisis—torn between integrity and survival, freedom and obedience. Witkiewicz exposes the seductive dance between artist and authority, where every act of creation risks becoming an act of submission. Decades ahead of its time, this anarchic comedy lays bare the modern artist’s impossible choice: stay true to your vision, or surrender it for comfort and applause.

Featuring: Venice Averyheart, Emily Lotspeich, David Lovejoy, Keith Surney, Gus Thomas, and Nicole Wiesner.

The production team includes: Merje Veski (Scenic Design), Rachel Sypniewski (Costume Design), Richard Norwood (Lighting Design), Danny Rockett (Sound Design), Kasia Olechno (Stage Manager), Zsofia Otvos (Make Up Design), Dan Cobbler (Assistant Director), Milan Pribisic (Dramaturg), Michal Janicki (Graphic Design), and Dan Cobbler, Juliet Kang Huneke, Mitchell Jackson, and Gracie Wallace (Understudies).