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Poor Clare
Poor Clare
By Chiara Atik
Directed by Kez Settle
Performances: Feb. 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 2026
Times: Friday & Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday at 2 p.m.
Run Time: 2 hours, including one 15-minute intermission
What happens when a medieval It-Girl goes rouge? It’s 1211 in Assisi, Italy, and Clare has everything a girl could want—wealth, beauty, and a rich suitor. Life is a dream of luxury and social status… until she starts hearing about this guy Francis. You know, the one who ditched his fortune, wears rags, and says wild things like “maybe we should help the poor instead of stepping over them”? Everyone in town thinks he’s lost it. But for some reason, Clare can’t stop thinking about him—and suddenly, the extravagant life she once adored starts to feel, well… kind of meaningless.
Detroit Mercy Theatre Company presents Poor Clare by Chiara Atik, a bold, hilarious, and anachronistic retelling of the real story of St. Clare of Assisi, a young woman who made an impossible choice: to give up everything for a life of radical compassion. With sharp wit and a fresh, modern voice, this play tackles the eternal struggle between comfort and conscience, privilege and purpose—reminding us that, nearly a thousand years later, the gap between the haves and the have-nots hasn’t changed all that much. Get ready for a history lesson like you’ve never seen before—funny, fearless, and unexpectedly relatable!
Special Events
Friday, February 13 | Opening Night Celebration. Join the cast and crew following the performance for a reception in the lower level of the Student Union. Sponsored by Thomas Page ’71, ’76.
Sunday, February 15 | 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. A talkback following the performance led by a CHASS faculty member is presented as a part of the Detroit Theatre Discussion Project.
Friday, February 20 | High School Night. Free tickets and a talkback with 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.
Saturday, February 21 | Community Night. $10 ticket for all patrons.