Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:
CHICAGO PREMIERE OF
THE DAYS ARE SHORTER
By Corinne J. Kawecki
Directed by Iris Sowlat
The Buena, Pride Arts Center, 4147 N. Broadway
Magical play exploring life’s joys and challenges at different ages will open May 10 in The Buena, Pride Arts Center
I'll be ChiILin' with Chi, IL's Pride Films and Plays for the press opening of The Days are Shorter on May 10th, so check back soon for my full review.
In THE DAYS ARE SHORTER, by Evanston resident Corinne J. Kawecki, 53-year-old Julia is afraid of getting older. Despite attempts to recapture her youth, her body keeps reminding her of her advancing years. With the help of her younger female lover’s magic act, Julia creates a new, magical life to help her accept the inevitability of aging by finding out who is she is and who really needs her love. The play was a finalist in Pride Films and Plays’ annual “LezPlay” competition in 2016 and was produced by Queer Theatre Kalamazoo this past January.
Pride Films and Plays company member Iris Sowlat will direct a cast including Gay Glenn, Joan McGrath, Pat Parks and Kendra Verhage. Amy J. Johnson, Jean Marie Koon, and Ren Harris will understudy. The design team will be Chas Mathieu (scenic designer), Sanja Manakoski (costume designer), Liz Cooper (lighting designer), John S. Nichols III (sound designer), Danielle Myerscough (properties designer) and Neil Tobin (magic consultant). Jessie Cole will be stage manager and Deb Kemp will be assistant stage manager and production intern.
Pride Films and Plays Artistic Director Nelson Rodriguez explains why THE DAYS ARE SHORTER was selected for a spot in the company’s subscription season. “We love the inter-generational connections between women in this piece as well as the magical elements which build tension and offer surprises. Mostly, I love that it's about a person coming to terms with aging and embracing all the different stages that life offers us: from free-spirited and hopeful youth to the stability and settled-ness of middle-age to the freedom experienced in old age when reflecting on and continuing to pursue a life well-lived. People of all genders and ages will recognize themselves in Julia's touching, hilarious, and misguided attempts to love herself.”
Tickets are $15 for previews, $25 for regular run ($5 discounts for students, seniors, vets for regular performances, excluding Saturdays) Tickets available now at www.pridefilmsandplays.com or by phone at 866-811-4111 or 773-857-0222.
BIOS
Corinne J. Kawecki (playwright). Corinne J. Kawecki’s full-length play THE DAYS ARE SHORTER, was produced by Queer Theatre Kalamazoo in January 2018. Her other productions include the following one acts: CAPE COD MOURNING, A BRIDGE TO SOMETHING, THE MOON, THE LAKE AND FIRE, DEMONS AND MONSTERS, LESBIAN NIGHTMARE, THE INTERVIEW, and SERIOUS. THE WHOLE SHEBANG was selected for the Concurrent Play Lab at the Great Plains Theatre Conference. Her play SHORT EXPANSE, full-length, was a Finalist in Pride Films and Plays’ Great Gay Play Contest (Chicago) in 2011. Her full-length plays THE DAYS ARE SHORTER, FREE RADICALS and CIVIL WARS were semi-finalists for the O’Neill National Playwrights Conference in 2012, 2013 and 2017 respectively. THE DAYS ARE SHORTER was a Finalist in the LezPlay Festival at Pride Films and Plays, Chicago, in 2016. Corinne was inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame in 1997 for her work on behalf of the LGBT community. Corinne is currently developing her newest full-length play, TIES THAT BIND. She is a member of the Writers Network at Pride Films and Plays, Chicago and a member of the Dramatists Guild.
Iris Sowlat (Director) is thrilled to direct THE DAYS ARE SHORTER at Pride Films & Plays! A proud Company Member at PFP, Iris has previously directed two LezPlay readings, directed the short play VIRGINIA & ORLANDO & VITA FOR HISTORY LEZONS, and produced AFTER ORLANDO, WEFEST, and SHEFEST. Recent directing credits include JOAN OF ARC (RhinoFest), NARRATIVES OF ACHROMATOPSIA (Chicago Fringe Festival), and THAT LAST LIGHT (Chicago Theatre Marathon). Iris is an Artistic Associate at Stage Left, and has also worked with Broken Nose, Collaboraction, 20% Theatre, Global Hive Labs, and NoPassport. Thanks always to my family for their love and support!
The Days Are Shorter
LISTING INFORMATION
THE DAYS ARE SHORTER
By Corinne J. Kawecki
May 8 – June 3, 2018
Previews Tuesday May 8 and Wednesday, May 9 at 7:30 pm
Regular performances Wednesdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sunday at 3pm (Except no performance Weds., May 16)
The Buena, Pride Arts Center
4147 N. Broadway
Tickets are $15 for previews, $25 for regular run ($5 discounts for students, seniors, vets for regular performances, excluding Saturdays) Tickets available at www.pridefilmsandplays.com or by phone at 866-811-4111 or 773-857-0222.
Julia believes that the answer to all of her problems is youth. She's tried various ways to recapture her youth but her 53 years continue to dog her steps. After many sleepless days and nights, she feels herself being slowly consumed by age and madness. Magic is inherent in THE DAYS ARE SHORTER, from Julia’s young lover's magic act to Julia's creation of a magical life in order to find out who really needs her love.
Monday, May 21st at 7:30 PM at Pride Arts Center
Pride Films and Plays brings you an exciting evening showcasing musical performances from the Best Performers, and Best Supporting Performers nominated for the 2017/18 Non-Equity Joseph Jefferson (“Jeff”) Awards.
All proceeds from the evening benefit the New Musical Initiative at Pride Films and Plays.
General Admission tickets are $20. VIP tickets are available for $30 and include reserved seating and program recognition.
ABOUT PRIDE FILMS AND PLAYS
Pride Films and Plays creates diverse new work (or work that is new to Chicago) with LGBTQ+ characters or themes that is essential viewing for all audiences. We accomplish this mission through fully-staged productions, writing contests and staged readings, and filming one short film each season.
PFP is the primary tenant in the Pride Arts Center (PAC), which connects and promotes other artists who share our values, creating a safe environment for all. PAC books one-night events or limited runs, cabaret, film, dance, comedy, and other events. PAC opened in 2016 and consists of two performance spaces: The Buena at 4147 N. Broadway which has 50 seats and The Broadway at 4139 N. Broadway which has 85 seats.
Pride Films and Plays is supported by The MacArthur Fund for Arts & Culture at The Richard Driehaus Foundation, The Illinois Arts Council, City of Chicago’s City Arts Fund, the Elliott Fredland Charitable Trust, Proud to Run, the AmazonSmile Foundation, Arts and Business Foundation, Tap Root Foundation and Alphawood Foundation.
PFP is a member of the Smart Growth Program of the Chicago Community Trust. Pride Films and Plays is a member of the LGBT Chamber of Commerce of Illinois and The League of Chicago Theatres.
For more information, visit www.pridefilmsandplays.com or call 1.773.857.0222 or 1.800.737.0984.
ABOUT PRIDE ARTS CENTER
PRIDE ARTS CENTER has become an important part of the arts environment in the Buena Park neighborhood and beyond. In addition to performances by PFP, (www.pridefilmsandplays.com), PAC hosts monthly events including play readings, film screenings, cabaret nights, and variety shows (PAC the House).
Guest productions are also included in the PAC schedule. Find a full calendar of everything happening at PAC here.
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