Detroit Mercy Theatre Company (DMTC) continues celebrating the inaugural season of the new Detroit Mercy Black Box Theatre with Poor Clare by Chiara Atik, a hilarious and anachronistic retelling of the true story of St. Clare of Assisi.
Six performances will run in back-to-back weekends, Friday through Sunday, Feb. 13-22.
Set in Italy in 1211, the play follows Clare, a wealthy medieval “It” girl whose privileged life is upended when she meets Francis, a man who has renounced his wealth and social status in service to the poor. Inspired by his radical devotion, Clare begins to reexamine her own life, questioning what it means to live with purpose and integrity.
“There is so much to mine in this play, and the sacrifices that both Clare and Francis made for the greater good really gives one pause to take stock in our own lives. They both listened to the call of God and took great strides to answer and take action and personal accountability,” said director Kez Settle. “It is a story that is topical and timeless in its relevance. And—if you are a history buff—this will provide you with lots of questions for the google search and history book deep dives!”
This production is the second in the Detroit Mercy Black Box Theatre, which opened in fall of 2025 and returned theatre back to UDM’s McNichols Campus.
“This story deeply reflects the University’s mission to educate competent, compassionate leaders who are prepared to serve the world,” said Sarah Rusk, managing director of Detroit Mercy Theatre Company. “It offers a meaningful way to celebrate the shared charisms of the Society of Jesus and the Religious Sisters of Mercy that guide our work, and it felt especially fitting to incorporate those values into our first season back on campus.”
The DMTC Ticket Office is open Tuesday-Thursday 10 a.m.- 2 p.m., with tickets being available for purchase anytime online. Individual tickets are $25 for adults, $18 for seniors and Detroit Mercy faculty, staff and alumni, and $10 for veterans and students (ages 4-college). Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. To schedule your group, contact Sarah Rusk at 313-993-3273.
SPECIAL ENGAGEMENTS
- Feb. 13: Opening Night Celebration. Join the cast and crew following the performance for a reception in the lower level of the Student Union.
- Feb. 14: Community Night. Celebrate Valentine’s Day with $10 ticket for all patrons.
- Feb. 15: Detroit Theatre Discussion Project. Join in the discussion following the first Sunday’s matinee performance as Dr. Heather Hill from the English Department and Fr. Greg Banazak from the Department of Religious Studies at Detroit Mercy to expand upon themes and ideas from the performance in a talkback.
- Feb. 20: Pre-show Mass and Reception. In the spirit of St. Clare and the Franciscan tradition, the Office of Mission Integration invites you to join us for a Mass and reception before the performance. Mass, presided over by Capuchin Franciscan Fr. Johan Paul, will begin at 6 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom. A reception with food will follow in the Zalke Lounge of the Student Union, just outside the theatre, prior to the 7:30 p.m. performance. The Mass and reception are free and open to all; tickets are required for the performance.
- Feb. 20: College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences (CHASS) at the Theatre. Join CHASS in celebrating the arts on campus with $5 tickets for CHASS students and alumni with coupon code CHASS_5. Free tickets to faculty/staff of CHASS by calling 313-993-3270 or email theatre@udmercy.edu.
- Feb. 21: High School Night. Free tickets and talkback with student cast and crew following the performance for high school students and their families. Call 313-993-3270 or email theatre@udmercy.edu for details and reservations.
- Feb. 22: Closing Night
Get tickets here.
