In her argument for Christopher Marlowe’s The Massacre at Paris, Dr. Diana Henderson answers the questions: why here, why now – why not? Referencing the idea that we have been living in unprecedented times, Dr. Henderson proposes that we stage one of the most consequential political horrors of the early modern era, which, at that time, was certainly also unprecedented. The short but action-packed text gives the American Shakespeare Center space to play, with meaty characters of all sizes for their actors to explore and a blank stage particularly suited to portray extensive battle scenes (even a defenestration!). In particular, this play highlights how quickly social order can explode, and how easy it is for our heroes to fall to vengeance and villainy. She proposes that now is the time for the ASC to make history, staging this play before even the Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare’s Globe in London.