A talking cat, the Devil’s entourage, a missing lover and a doomed writer take the stage in Colgate University’s production of “Master and Margarita,” opening this week. The Department of Theater invites students to explore a world of surrealism, seduction and censure beginning Friday, Nov. 14, with the final showing on Tuesday, Nov. 18. Simona Giurgea, senior lecturer in University Theater, adapted Mikhail Bulgakov’s 1940 Soviet novel for the Colgate stage, bringing a story of art, censorship, morality and survival under authoritarian control to life. The narrative shifts between 1930s Moscow and ancient Jerusalem, following an entourage of characters separated by time and space yet remaining intrinsically connected throughout their struggles with morality and conscience. Fusing political satire with magical realism, “Master and Margarita” explores themes that stretch far past its characters to remain urgent today.
The cast began rehearsing in September 2025. However, the show has been in the works for a long time. Giurgea taught a class dedicated to learning “Master and Margarita” in spring 2025. While conflicts forced the production into this semester, this also allowed a new group of actors to come together. Interestingly, due to the show’s unique narrative, the entire cast has not set foot on the same stage outside of auditions.
Senior Lara Blanton, the play’s stage manager, expanded on how the distinct script creates a more powerful production.
“It’s a very unorthodox play in that there doesn’t need to be chemistry between the scenes,” Blanton said. “It leads to something almost disjointed, relying on the devils to connect every scene into one entire story … The Master is the thematic throughline, but he doesn’t actually get to be in every scene or affect every character. He haunts the narrative through presence.”
Of course, building relationships between the characters who do interact is essential. However, the nature of the show has allowed the actors to reflect on their characters’ desires. Portraying these internal struggles presents a different challenge — one that the actors have welcomed.
Junior August Haston discussed how his understanding of his character — the Master — has evolved over the course of rehearsals.
“To an extent, you’re discovering each character’s motivations and where they’re coming from, piece by piece and step by step,” Haston said. “I had a completely different picture in my mind about how the Master was going to be versus where we actually are now. By next Friday, I might have a completely different perspective on who the Master is.”
Senior Cece Dillon, playing the Devil’s cat, put her experience working with Giurgea simply.
“I get to do everything I want and have fun,” Dillon said.
Given Colgate’s small theater program, many of these actors were already close.
“I feel very lucky to be working with this cast,” Haston said. “We have prior experience acting with each other, and we know how to work with each other. There’s a novelty with acting [alongside] new people, but also a comfort with working with the same people.”
Junior Sasha Wiebler is one of such new actors. Despite his lack of experience, Wiebler expressed a similar excitement for performance as a whole. He took on playing his character with excitement despite his lack of experience.
“Ivan, my character, is special. He’s a poet trying to make his way up in the new Soviet Union society,” Wiebler said. “He’s got a large personality, and he’s not afraid to speak his mind to anyone.”
Wiebler also disclosed how he’s approached his first show, both regarding the development of his character and the show at large.
“It’s like you become a vessel for their actions,” Wiebler said. “It’s a daunting prospect, but I’m absolutely confident … that when I’m up there with my fellow actors, everything will be fine.”
As for the stage itself, the production recreates the absurdity and chaos of Bulgakov’s novel. The actors navigate a minimal set, relying mostly on lighting and their own performance to create a surreal, dream-like atmosphere. Additionally, Brehmer Theater has been transformed from an auditorium theater into an amphitheater with high-rise seating. The audience will be close to the stage, with some even towering over it. Like every piece of “Master and Margarita,” this choice by the director was intentional and purposeful.
“[Giurgea] wants to make it feel like there’s a magnifying glass on stage,” Blanton said. “You cannot hide. It’s a really interesting approach considering the book is a commentary on censorship in Soviet Russia. There’s this idea that you can’t get away with anything without someone seeing.”
Evidently, the show closely relates to the time period it was written in — the Stalinist era of the Soviet Union.
“The author based the Master on himself and also burned the manuscript multiple times for fear of being found out by the regime,” Blanton said. “It was so interesting. He would talk to Stalin, and they were friendly, but he was terrified, obviously, because of his subterfuge. The Devil was actually based on Stalin.”
This overarching theme of censorship is especially pertinent for Giurgea, who grew up in Romania, as well as for other actors like Wiebler who have parents from Eastern Europe.
“The show is rooted in Simona’s personal experience and lived experiences with being silenced as an artist,” Haston said. “You’re put down and censored. Where do you go from there? Hope in spite of difficulty is at the core of the show.”
Colgate’s production of “Master and Margarita” channels defiance and heartbreaking sincerity, creating a work that feels just as urgent now as it did in Bulgakov’s time. As the curtains rise, what remains most striking is not the absurdity, but the resilience of a deeply human creation.
