Vicious Circles & A Writer of Note
The Tempest of Dorothy Parker
A razor-sharp theatrical portrait of a woman whose celebrated wit concealed profound loneliness, heartbreak and an unrelenting need to be heard.
Dorothy Parker could devastate a room with a single sentence. As a poet, critic, short-story writer, screenwriter and founding member of the legendary Algonquin Round Table, she became one of the most recognizable literary voices of the 20th century. Behind the clever observations and merciless one-liners, however, was a woman navigating turbulent relationships, professional disappointments, political controversy and deeply personal struggles.
Vicious Circles & A Writer of Note: The Tempest of Dorothy Parker moves beyond the familiar caricature of Parker as merely the sharp-tongued wit holding court at the Algonquin. The play reveals the complicated, vulnerable and fiercely intelligent woman behind the carefully cultivated public persona.
Written by internationally produced playwright Mike Broemmel, the play blends humor, memory and emotional candor to explore the forces that shaped Parker’s life and work. Her words could be wickedly funny, but they were also weapons, shields and cries from the heart. As the story unfolds, audiences encounter a Dorothy Parker who is brilliant and wounded, celebrated and isolated, defiant and painfully human.
Featuring Ellen Shamas-Brandt as Dorothy Parker, the production invites audiences into an intimate encounter with one of America’s most fascinating literary figures. Parker’s celebrated wit remains gloriously intact, but the play also asks us to listen for what existed beneath it: the longing, anger, disappointment and resilience of a writer determined to leave her mark.
Part of the Iconic Women Theatre Series, Vicious Circles & A Writer of Note reflects the Series’ commitment to bringing consequential women from history back to the stage—not as distant legends, but as complicated human beings whose lives continue to challenge, surprise and inspire us.
Dorothy Parker understood that laughter and sorrow frequently occupy the same room. In this unforgettable theatrical portrait, they sit together once again.
Written by Mike Broemmel
Featuring Ellen Shamas-Brandt as Dorothy Parker
Directed by Greg West
Presented by Colorado TINTS and Act One Productions
Where Legends Live Again
Experience the wit, turbulence and enduring literary legacy of Dorothy Parker in Vicious Circles & A Writer of Note: The Tempest of Dorothy Parker.
Coming September 19 & 20, 2026 - Salida, Colorado
Box of Bubbles
Salida, Colorado
Ellen Shamas-Brandt captures the razor-sharp humor, restless spirit and private heartbreak that made Dorothy Parker unforgettable. The result is an intimate theatrical portrait that is biting, moving and unmistakably alive.
Vicious Circles & A Writer of Note moves beyond Dorothy Parker’s legendary wit to reveal the fiercely intelligent, deeply vulnerable woman behind the celebrated words. Audiences will encounter Parker not as a literary monument, but as a living, complicated human being.
Playwright Mike Broemmel & lead actor Ellen Shamas-Brandt.
World Premiere at Clocktower Cabaret in Denver, Colorado
Vicious Circles & A Writer of Note: The Tempest of Dorothy Parker made an extraordinary entrance with a sold-out world premiere, demonstrating the enduring fascination audiences have with Parker’s wit, brilliance and complicated humanity. The response established the production as a compelling theatrical portrait.
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