A Dangerous Personality, a play by author Sallie Bingham about the life of controversial Russian philosopher Helena Blavatsky, is scheduled to open next week in New York City. Blavatasky, who traveled extensively throughout her life, created Theosophy, the "science of religion" as she called it, which sees every religion as an attempt for humanity to evolve toward greater perfection. Her outspoken nature attracted the attention of many famous figures of her time, including inventor Thomas Edison and missionary Hiram Bingham, and her ideas stirred up scandal. The play focuses on Blavatsky's early middle age in the beginning of the 20th century and asks, says Bingham, whether in this day and age "a woman who believed in universal brotherhood and preached the root connection of all the world's religions would also be reviled."
A Dangerous Personality runs from June 10 to June 20 at the Julia Miles Theatre. —Stephen Mapes