A new spectacle by Edu Díaz
The true and wild story behind Beauty and the Beast
PETRUS is supported by the General Consulate of Spain in New York, NoMAA, and The Puffin Foundation.
It is a fiscally sponsored project of the New York Foundation for the Arts. Donate here.
PETRUS is a metatheatrical, multilingual, and transmedia project based on the real story of Petrus Gonsalvus, which addresses displacement and the abuse of power amid ecological and cultural collapse.
Currently in development, PETRUS is looking for funding and collaborators.
Paris, 1559.
The King is dead. Queen Catherine of Medici has a brilliant plan to fix the kingdom's finances: making theater.
With the help of the forgetful Nostradamus, the Queen uses Petrus, a hairy creature, to throw big spectacles in the Court’s menagerie.
But when cruelty becomes art, and art becomes business… who’s really the beast?
Your Queen Presents: PETRUS is a sharp, dark solo performance in which Catherine de Médici delivers a theatrical pitch for her most ambitious spectacle.
Blending drag, clown, shadow puppetry, and whimsical sound cues, the piece revisits how the Queen became a theatermaker—and how she used a hairy creature to stage spectacular events.
Conceived as a spin-off of PETRUS, this show is a living theatrical laboratory. Part history, part sales pitch, and part theatrical coup, this is the Queen at her most human, dangerous, and persuasive. After all, the Queen needs your gold.
Queen Catherine needs your gold. Please, donate. It is tax-deductible thanks to NYFA.
Meet the real Petrus
PETRUS explores and reimagines the real and tragic story of Petrus Gonsalvus, aka ‘the man of the woods.’
His story began in Tenerife (Canary Islands) in the 16th century. Affected by hypertrichosis, Petrus was sold to Henry II of France at the age of only 10, as an exotic creature.
The King kept him in the menagerie with the exotic animals of the Court. However, Petrus was brilliant and learned Math, Science, French, and Latin.
A beautiful courtesan was forced to marry the werewolf. They had several children, some of whom, as furry as Petrus, were gifted to other European Courts.
You probably guessed that this story inspired the first version of Beauty and the Beast, written by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot.
Five centuries later, another native of Tenerife is imagining a show about his last years at the French Court.
The Queen´s Morning Pages
Circa 2014 | Tenerife Island
Edu's mom showed him a dusty book about Petrus Gonsalvus and suggested his story be a show. Excellent taste, María Belén. He misses you so much.
End of 2022 | New York City
Due to Edu's new circumstances as an immigrant, he was finally inspired to write early versions around the topic out of context. Procrastination manifests in different shapes.
2024 | New York City
The Spanish General Consulate in New York City intends to support the project. Not the first time the Consulate supports this creator. Surprising taste, dear Consulate.
Spring 2025 | New York City
PETRUS got selected for the 10-week Writer's Intensive at THE WORKSHOP THEATRE, where Edu could go deeper on the show's topics and the character's flaws. The others, as I don't have any -I'm the Queen.
Winter 2025 | New York City
Edu was invited to participate in Jeremy O'Harris's workshop, 'Writing the Black Play,' at the multi-award-winning Tectonic Theatre Project.
July 2025 | Edinburgh
While in Edinburgh, preparing for the premiere of A Drag Is Born, Edu knew he was a 2025 NoMAA Grantee, made possible by the support of the Hispanic Federation & NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.
August 2025 | Edinburgh
While losing gold with A Drag Is Born in the Edinburgh Fringe, Edu knew that he had the support of THE PUFFIN FOUNDATION. He jumped for joy on the street while wearing the Hairy Godmother dress.
October 2025 | New York City
Preproduction officially begins. Your Queen went personally to a Clown show to pitch PETRUS, and it was a great experience.
November 2025 | New York City
PETRUS is now a project financially sponsored by NYFA, which makes it way easier for you, my dear reader, to make this project come true. Deposit your tax-deductible gold here.
December 2025 | London
Nothing like a good deadline to finish a proper version of the script for PETRUS. The year beautifully ends for this project.
January 2026 | New York
Your Queen Presents PETRUS is a show about me, Queen Catherine, pitching the show PETRUS. I premiered at PhysFest and, oh, dear, such a great experience. Also, I got two beautiful reviews you can read here.
February 2026 | New York
A Spanish carrier pigeon just delivered a message: PETRUS officially received some gold from the Spanish Consulate in New York. Hooray! ¡Viva España!
The menagerie wants you.
The Queen is looking for a team for this savage adventure. If you want to join the PETRUS team and/or support the project, let's talk.
