REVIEW: The Innocence of Seduction at City Lit Now Playing Through October 8, 2023

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THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION

Written and directed by Mark Pracht

WORLD PREMIERE

August 25- October 8, 2023

Left to right: Robin Treviño, Sean Harklerode, Paul Chakrin

All Production Photos by Steve Graue

 REVIEW

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

Banned book week, October 1-7th, is rapidly approaching and City Lit's world premiere of The Innocence of Seduction is a great way to celebrate. As much as I adore graphic novels, comics, and pop culture, I was largely unaware of this critical slice of history in the culture wars. This play introduces audiences to the 1950s Congressional investigation into the supposed link between comic books and juvenile delinquency. Flash forward over half a century to 2023 where the religious right and the US government are still engaged in endlessly ongoing attempts to censor art and literature from the local to the federal level. Book bans and burnings are ramping up again at an alarming rate, making Prachts piece all too timely. 

John Blick

The Innocence of Seduction is both written and directed by Chicago playwright, Mark Pracht, and is part of his Four-Color Trilogy, which also include THE MARK OF KANE, which premiered at City Lit in fall 2022, and THE HOUSE OF IDEAS, about the 1960s rise of Marvel.

Left to right: Zach Kunde, Sean Harklerode, Chuck Munro, Charlie Diaz

Astonishingly enough for 1950's America, this production doesn't focus exclusively on white, cis males, but manages a bit of diversity regarding gender, race, and sexual orientation. It's fascinating to see the effect of the investigation on the careers of three persons: William Gaines, the originator of the horror genre of comic books; Matt Baker, a Black closeted gay artist of romance comics; and Janice Valleau, creator of a pioneering comics feature starring a woman detective. The cast does an excellent job bringing humor and humanity to what could be dry subject matter, in what is at once a cautionary tale and an homage to the founding of Mad Magazine. This ensemble showcases the mental and physical toll it takes to fight for a career against ridiculously restrictive regulations, petty bureaucrats, and the righteous indignation of the religious right. Sometimes it takes a creative pivot to do an end run around all that nonsense and thrive creatively and financially. Kudos to all involved for filling in education gaps and bringing this niche history to life for a new generation. Recommended.

Left to right: Andrew Bosworth, Megan Clarke 

  Brian Bradford (lying down), Andrew Bosworth (kneeling)  

Bonnie is a Chicago based writer, theatre critic, photographer, artist, and Mama to 2 amazing adults. She owns two websites where she publishes frequently: ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly). 

Regular run Through October 8, 2023

Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 3 pm; Mondays Sept 25 and Oct 2 at 7:30 pm.

Regular run ticket prices $34.00, seniors $29.00, students and military $12 (all plus applicable fees)

Performances at City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. Chicago 60660

Info and tickets at www.citylit.org and by phone at 773-293-3682.

Left to right: Brian Bradford, LaTorious Givens.

Cast and crew for world premiere of Mark Pracht’s THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION

Pracht to direct the second part of his FOUR-COLOR TRILOGY of plays 

about the comic book industry

Left to right: Sean Harklerode, Charlie Diaz

Left to right: Zach Kunde, Chuck Munro, Sean Harklerode, Charlie Diaz, Paul Chakrin

Full casting and production team have been announced for City Lit’s forty-third season opener - the world premiere of THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION by Chicago playwright Mark Pracht. It is the second play in his projected “Four-Color Trilogy” of plays set during the early years of the comic book industry. The first play in the trilogy, THE MARK OF KANE, opened City Lit’s forty-second season. THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION examines the 1950s Congressional investigation into the supposed link between comic books and juvenile delinquency, and the effect of the investigation on the careers of three persons:  William Gaines, the originator of the horror genre of comic books; Matt Baker, a Black closeted gay artist of romance comics; and Janice Valleau, creator of a pioneering comics feature starring a woman detective.  

Left to right: Zach Kunde, Laura Coleman, Sean Harklerode

Leading the cast will be Sean Harklerode (THE MARK OF KANE, The Artistic Home’s REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT) as William Gaines), Brian Bradford (City Lit’s FUENTE OVEJUNA and THE BLOODHOUND LAW) as Matt Baker, and Megan Clarke  as Janice Valleau. Also in the cast are Charlie Diaz (Invictus Theatre’s THE CRUCIBLE) as Al Feldstein, Frank Nall (Invictus Theatre’s THE CRUCIBLE, The Artistic Home’s MALAPERT LOVE) as Dr Frederic Wertham, Zach Kunde (Invictus Theatre’s THE CRUCIBLE) as Lyle Stuart, Artistic Home ensemble member Laura Coleman as Shirley Norris, Ron Quade (Citadel Theatre’s BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS) as Max Gaines, LaTorious Givens (Invictus Theatre’s THE CRUCIBLE) as Connie, John Blick  (Promethean Ensemble Theatre’s BLUE STOCKINGS) as Archer St John and Henry Valleau, Invictus Theatre Company member Chuck Munro as Judge Charles F Murphy and Barry Walsh, Paul Chakrin (THE SAFE HOUSE and many other roles at City Lit) as John L Goldwater and Senator Robert C Hendrickson, Robin Trevino (Invictus Theatre’s WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF) as Everett M "Busy" Arnold and Senator Estes Kefauver, Andrew Bosworth as Frank Guisto, Reed Crandall and Jack Davis, and Jessica Lauren Fisher (Black Button Eyes’ MARY ROSE) as Jessie Gaines and  Gertrude St John.

Left to right: Andrew Bosworth, Robin Treviño, Megan Clarke

The production team includes G. "Max" Maxin IV (Scenic, Lighting and Projection Design), Beth Laske-Miller (Costume Designer), Petter Wahlbäck (Composer and Sound Design), Alison Dornheggen (Violence and Intimacy Design), Jeff Brain (Props Design), and Zachary Osterman (Stage Manager).

Frank Nall

Single tickets for THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION are priced at $30 for previews and $34 for regular performances and are on sale now at www.citylit.org or by phone at 773-293-3682. Senior prices are $25 for previews and $29 for regular performances. Students and military are $12.00 for all performances. City Lit Season 43 subscriptions are available at $99.00, good for all performances, or $77.00 for preview performances.

 

Left to right: Robin Treviño, Sean Harklerode, Paul Chakrin

HEALTH PRECAUTIONS AT CITY LIT

City Lit requires masks for the Sunday matinee performances. Masks are encouraged but no longer required for Friday, Saturday and our two Monday performances. City Lit staff will continue to mask for all performances. City Lit will of course comply with the full set of whatever official health guidelines are in place at any time.

ABOUT MARK PRACHT 

Mark Pracht (Playwright, Director) has worked as an actor, director and playwright in Chicago since 2001. THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION is part of his Four-Color Trilogy, which also include THE MARK OF KANE, which premiered at City Lit in fall 2022, and THE HOUSE OF IDEAS, about the 1960s rise of Marvel. He has appeared on stage at City Lit in the title role of PROMETHEUS BOUND, as The Creature in FRANKENSTEIN, and as Milt Shanks in THE COPPERHEAD, among other roles. Most recently, he appeared as John Proctor in THE CRUCIBLE with Invictus Theatre Company. He was a company member of the Shelterbelt Theatre in Omaha, where he helped develop and produce seven world premiere productions, including his own full-length play, NEON.He is an ensemble member of The Artistic Home, where he won a Jeff Award for Leading Performer in a Play for REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT.

ABOUT CITY LIT THEATER COMPANY

City Lit is the seventh oldest theatre company in Chicago, behind only Goodman, Court, Northlight, Oak Park Festival, Steppenwolf, and Pegasus theatres.  It was founded in 1979 with $210 pooled by Arnold Aprill, David Dillon, and Lorell Wyatt.  For its current season, its 43rd, it operates with a budget slightly over $260,000.  It was the first theatre in the nation devoted to stage adaptations of literary material.  There were so few theatres in Chicago at the time of its founding that at City Lit’s launch event, the founders were able to read a congratulatory letter they had received from Tennessee Williams.

For four decades and counting, City Lit has explored fiction, non-fiction, poetry, memoirs, songs, essays and drama in performance.  A theatre that specializes in literary work communicates a commitment to certain civilizing influences—tradition imaginatively explored, a life of the mind, trust in an audience’s intelligence—that not every cultural outlet shares.

City Lit is located in the historic Edgewater Presbyterian Church building at 1020 West Bryn Mawr Avenue. Its work is supported in part by the MacArthur Funds for Arts and Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the Ivanhoe Theater Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council Agency and is sponsored in part by A.R.T. League.  An Illinois not-for-profit corporation and a 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt organization, City Lit keeps ticket prices below the actual cost of producing plays and depends on the support of those who share its belief in the beauty and power of the spoken written word.

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FREE readings all over Chicago and suburbs throughout

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