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SUBTEXT THEATER COMPANY PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF
UNCLE CARLOS EXPLAINS
THE STORY OF NEW ORLEANS MOB BOSS CARLOS MARCELLO’S BATTLE AGAINST BOBBY KENNEDY AND HIS ROLE IN THE JFK ASSASSINATION
September 5-27, 2025
This September Subtext Theater Company (STC) will stage a new work by Leigh Johnson, Uncle Carlos Explains. His name now lost to history, New Orleans mobster Carlos Marcello was at one time perhaps the most powerful mafioso in the country, his criminal empire stretching from the parishes of Louisiana to Dallas, Texas. In his own words, this proud, vicious man regales us with his criminal rise, his running afoul of Attorney General Robert Kennedy, and the almost inconceivable revenge he extracted against his hated nemesis.
In turn beguiling, accommodating, amusing, but ultimately terrifying, Chicago actor Andrew Pond skillfully portrays Marcello as a proud man consumed by his hatred of Bobby Kennedy and his single-minded purpose to “take this stone out of my shoe.” Sam Brittan (left) and Vito Vittore (right) round out the cast, portraying a variety of government officials and a rogue gallery of Marcello underlings.
The production is directed by STC Artistic Director and founding member Jonathan “Rocky” Hagloch. Managing Director/Artistic Director and founding member John Oster is producing and Sean Smyth is serving as the production stage manager. The set design is by Hagloch and Oster.
Leigh Johnson is a long-time Chicago playwright, his numerous productions mainly exploring historical and familial issues. He is also a novelist and screenwriter. Leigh has received critical praise for his scripts A Brother’s Keeper (2015) A Prayer for the Sandinista’s (2017) A Bump on the Leg (2023) all produced by STC, Lefties (2013), Lotto Fever in the Sucker State (2014) and Little Stones (2018) all produced by the Saint Sebastian Players and Khe Sanh Bagman (2000) at Center Theatre.
STC is a professional, non-Equity 501c3 that was founded in 2015 and is dedicated to bringing powerful stories to the stage through an exploration of the meanings found inside, under and between the authors’ words. For more information about the company and its founders visit subtextnfp.org.
Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at St. Bonaventure Theater, 1625 W. Diversey, at Marshfield just west of Ashland, in Chicago. For a full list of production dates visit subtextnfp.org. Free parking is available in two lots. There are stairs but no elevator in the building. Full-priced Single tickets are $30; Sr/student tickets are 25.00, group rates are $20.00 for a group of ten or more. Ticketing at http://www.subtextnfp.org/box-office.html
All programming is subject to change. For information, call 773-908-6124 or visit subtextnfp.org.
