OPENING: Trap Door Theatre's NO MATTER HOW HARD WE TRY OR WE CAN EXIST ON THE BEST TERMS WE CAN

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NO MATTER HOW HARD WE TRY

OR WE CAN EXIST ON THE BEST TERMS WE CAN

Written by Dorota Masłowska 

Translated by Artur Zapałowski

Directed by Max Truax

Featuring: Tiffany Bedwell, Marzena Bukowska, Simina Contras, Hallie Ecker, Michael Garvey, Johnny Graff, Emily Nichelson, Beata Pilch, and Kelsey Shipley.

Dorota Masłowska’s NO MATTER HOW HARD WE TRY is a scathing satire about the decaying Polish national identity in the aftermath of war, occupation and the commodifying forces of Western capitalism. 

Three generations of Polish women live together in squalor, escaping their desperate lives through the fantasies provided by television and fashion magazines.

The Playwright DOROTA MASŁOWSKA is a Polish writer born in 1983. Her first novel translated into English as SNOW WHITE AND RUSSIAN RED, was published while she was still a teenager and made her an instant literary sensation in her native country. The novel detailed the growing pains of marginalized small-town youth. In 2005, Masłowska published her second book, THE QUEEN’S PUKECOCK, a 150 page rap poem in prose. Both of these books were adapted for the stage in Poland, Germany and Great Britain. Masłowska wrote her first play, A COUPLE OF POOR-POLISH SPEAKING ROMANIANS, in 2006 (Trap Door staged it in 2009) and her second one, NO MATTER HOW HARD WE TRY, OR WE CAN EXIST ON THE BEST TERMS WE CAN, in 2008. In 2012, Masłowska published another novel, HONEY, I KILLED OUR CATS, and in 2014 released her first music album, THE SOCIETY IS MEAN, a mixture of punk, rap and dance music with lyrics commenting on current social issues. Masłowska ’s writing is characterized by her ironic, pessimistic worldview and extraordinary linguistic power; as a postmodern writer she confronts, disturbs and subverts sacred ideas of selfhood and nationhood.

The Director MAX TRUAX is a Resident Director at Trap Door, where he has directed productions of  THE BALCONY by Jean Genet, THEY ARE DYING OUT by Peter Handke, an operatic interpretation of HAMLETMACHINE by Heiner Muller, NO DARKNESS ROUND MY STONE by Fabrice Melquiot, and A COUPLE OF POOR, POLISH-SPEAKING ROMANIANS, also by Dorota Masłowska. His production of  A COUPLE OF POOR, POLISH-SPEAKING ROMANIANS  performed at the Fun Underground Festival in Arad, Romania and at the Bagatela Theatre in Krakow, Poland.  Max is a freelance director and the Artistic Director of Oracle Productions, where he recently directed NO BEAST SO FIERCE, THE PRESIDENT, and THE MOTHER.   His production of THE MOTHER received several Jeff Awards including awards for Best Production and Best Ensemble. Max studied visual art, performance art and choreography at Oberlin College and received his MFA in Theatre Directing from California Institute of the Arts.     

Set Designer Joanna Iwanicka/ Lighting Designer Richard Norwood / Costume Designer Rachel Sypniewski / Sound Designer Steve Labedz/Video Design Paul Deziel/Stage Manager Deirdre Connelly/ Makeup Designer / Zsófia Ötvös Graphic Designer Michal Janicki/ 

Opens: Thursday, May 12,  2016 at 8PM 

Closes: Saturday, June 25, 2016 at 8PM 

Runs: Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8PM

Special Talk Back: On SATURDAY MAY 14th following the performance, there will be a talk back and reception with guest playwright from Poland DOROTA MASŁOWSKA  and the cast focusing on the play’s theme and director MAX TRUAX’s process and vision. Wine and cheese reception to follow.

Admission: $20 on Thursdays and Fridays, with two-for-one admission on Fridays, $25 on Saturdays

Where: TRAP DOOR THEATRE 1655 West Cortland Ave. Chicago, IL 60622

For Information/Reservations: 773-384-0494. To purchase online www.trapdoortheatre.com