"I Am My Own Wife" Rehearsal. Photo by James Kyung

One of the three productions of this summer’s Krannert Studio Theatre is the unique and powerful drama, Doug Wright’s I Am My Own Wife. It not only won the 2004 Pulitzer Prize in drama and the Tony Award for best play, but even international acclaim for its playwright and star, Jefferson Mays.

I Am My Own Wife tells the true story of the life of Lothar Berfelde, who was better known as Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a transvestite homosexual male who first survived persecution under Nazi Germany living as a woman, then existed under years of oppression in Communist in East Germany. During her years in Communist East Germany, Mahlsdorf was the owner of the Grunderzeit Museum and the proprietor of an underground gay bar. According to theater scholar Lee A. Jacobus, Wright researched Mahlsdorf’s life and friends extensively and even befriended Mahlsdorf for years. In his research, Wright also discovered that Charlotte was in many ways very heroic — a complex and conflicted individual. She secretly worked as an informer for the Stasi, the German secret police, and her work benefited the police for many years, even leading to the arrests of many of Mahlsdorf’s most trusted friends.

Wright’s play is a one-man show. Its original production featured Jefferson Mays, who created 35 distinct roles. His performance was so powerful it won Mays a Tony Award as best actor in a drama. Brant Pope will be directing this Summer Studio Theatre Company’s production of I Am My Own Wife, which will feature Henson Keys, the chair of UI’s acting program. Stepping into the persona of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf and the cast of 30-plus others is no small task for even a seasoned veteran of more than 120 productions as an actor and director from New York and around the U.S.

I Am My Own Wife begins its summer run June 17, and performances continue June 23, 24, 27 and 28. Ticket information can be found at krannertcenter.com or at the Krannert ticket office by calling 333-6280.