OPENING: The Beauty Queen of Leenane at Northlight Theatre 3/15/18- 4/22/18

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Northlight Theatre continues its 2017-18 season with

The Beauty Queen of Leenane

Written by Martin McDonagh

Directed by BJ Jones

Featuring Kate Fry, Nathan Hosner, Casey Morris and Wendy Robie

March 15 – April 22, 2018

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, continues its 2017-18 season with The Beauty Queen of Leenane, written by Martin McDonagh and directed by BJ Jones.  The Beauty Queen of Leenane runs March 15 – April 22, 2018 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie.

The play premiered Off-Broadway in February 1998, presented by the Atlantic Theatre Company. It transferred to Broadway in April 1998 and received six Tony Award nominations, winning four: Best Supporting Actor (Tom Murphy); Best Actress (Marie Mullen); Best Supporting Actress (Anna Manahan); and Best Director (Garry Hynes). Hynes was the first female recipient of a Tony Award for directing a play.

This Tony Award-winning dark comedy is set in the provincial Irish town of Leenane. Forty-year-old spinster Maureen Folan lives with her manipulative aging mother Mag, stuck in a caretaking relationship that has them both seething with resentment. When a romantic encounter finally sparks Maureen’s hopes for an escape from her dreary existence, Mag’s interference sets in motion a chain of events that is as tragically funny as it is terrifying. 

“I find Martin McDonagh’s sense of humor adolescent and amusing; I love his ability to shock for shock's sake, and I relate to his quirky characters built on a landscape of loneliness and isolation. From the fable like period piece of The Cripple of Inishmaan, through the Leenane trilogy with a side trip to the gory Lieutenant of Inishmore, he has remained true to his own stylistic voice,” comments BJ Jones. “My attraction to The Beauty Queen of Leenane is McDonagh's style: theatrical fireworks that light up a dark landscape and reveal even darker crevices, much like the Burren region of western Ireland. So many of his works echo Synge, Beckett, and in more modern synchronicity Tarantino and even Letts. With the gifted artists Kate Fry and Wendy Robie, I take on this overdue date with McDonagh's seminal masterpiece.”

The cast of The Beauty Queen of Leenane includes Kate Fry (Maureen Folan), Nathan Hosner (Pato Dooley), Casey Morris (Ray Dooley) and Wendy Robie (Mag Folan).

The creative team includes Todd Rosenthal (Scenic Design), JR Lederle (Lighting Design) and Andre Pluess (Sound Design). The stage manager is Michelle Medvin.

Northlight’s production of The Beauty Queen of Leenane is supported in part by Freddi Greenberg and Dan Pinkert, The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, and Tom Stringer Design Partners.

The Beauty Queen of Leenane is the first play in playwright Martin McDonagh’s trilogy set in Leenane, a small village on the west coast of Ireland where he spent his holidays as a child. The other two parts of the trilogy are A Skull in Connemara and The Lonesome West. A second trilogy is set across the Aran Islands, off the coast of County Galway, and includes The Cripple of Inishmaan, The Lieutenant of Inishmore and The Banshees of Inisheer, which was never published.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Martin McDonagh (Playwright) is an award-winning writer/director. His latest film is Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri. Plays: The Beauty Queen of Leenane, A Skull in Connemara, The Lonesome West, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, The Cripple of Inishmaan, The Pillowman, A Behanding in Spokane, Hangmen. As writer/director: Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri; Seven Psychopaths; In Bruges; Six Shooter (short film).

Playwright, screenwriter, and director Martin McDonagh is among the most acclaimed living playwrights in Ireland. He won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for Six Shooter and was nominated for Best Original Screenplay for In Bruges. His most recent film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri has been nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Original Screenplay. The film also was nominated for nine BAFTA Awards (winning five including Best Screenplay, Film and Outstanding British Film of the Year) and six Golden Globe Awards (winning four including Best Screenplay).

BJ Jones (Director) is in his 20th season as Artistic Director of Northlight where he commissioned and directed the world premieres of Faceless, Charm, White Guy on the Bus,  Stella & Lou, The Outgoing Tide (Jeff Nomination – Best Director), Better Late, and Rounding Third. Notably he has directed productions of Outside Mullingar, Grey Gardens, The Price (Jeff Nomination- Best Director), A Skull in Connemara, The Cripple of Inishmaan, and The Lieutenant of Inishmore. As a producer he has guided the world premieres of Shining Lives, The Last Five Years, The Gamester, and Studs Terkel’s ‘The Good War’. From Second City to Shakespeare, BJ has directed Pitmen Painters (Jeff Nomination – Best Director, TimeLine), A Number (Next), 100 Saints You Should Know (Steppenwolf), and The Dresser (Body Politic). Regional: Glengarry Glen Ross (Suzie Bass Nominee – Best Director, Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre), Enchanted April (Asolo Theatre), and productions at Cherry Lane Theatre NY, Galway Arts Festival, Baltimore Center Stage, and Utah Shakespeare Festival. As a performer, Mr. Jones is a two-time Joseph Jefferson Award winner and has appeared at Northlight, Goodman, Steppenwolf, Court, and other theatres throughout Chicago. Film/TV credits include The Fugitive, Body Double, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Early Edition, Cupid, and Turks, among others.

Kate Fry (Maureen Folan) returns to Northlight, where she performed in Outside Mullingar and The Miser.  Most recently, she played Emily Dickinson in The Belle of Amherst at Court Theatre, where she has appeared in many productions over the years.  Other Chicago credits include work with Writers’ Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and Victory Gardens Theatre.  She has also worked with Center Theatre Group in LA, McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, and Lincoln Center.  She is the recipient of three Joseph Jefferson awards, the local Sarah Siddons award, an After Dark award, and Chicago Magazine’s actress of the year.  Kate is married to actor/teacher Timothy Edward Kane, with whom she has two sons.

Nathan Hosner (Pato Dooley) returns to Northlight after appearing in Discord. Chicago credits include productions with Lookingglass, Court, Writers, Chicago Shakespeare, Goodman, Paramount, About Face, First Folio, Shaw Chicago and Shakespeare Project of Chicago. Other credits include Peter and the Starcatcher (first national tour) and productions with American Players Theatre, New Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, BoarsHead Theater, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, and Door Shakespeare. Nathan is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London.

Casey Morris (Ray Dooley) is making his Northlight Theatre debut! Last fall, you may have seen Casey in the role of Mike Danver in Janine Naber's Welcome to Jesus at American Theater Company. Other Chicago theatre credits include: Ah, Wilderness! (Goodman Theatre, u/s), What of the Night? (Stage Left & Cor Theatre), Hand to God (Victory Gardens, u/s), The Grapes of Wrath (The Gift Theatre), EOM (Ignition Festival '16, Victory Gardens), Voyage (Cock and Bull), The Revel (The House Theatre of Chicago, u/s), Post Apocalypto (Sketchbook ’15, Collaboraction), In a Little World of Our Own (Irish Theatre of Chicago, u/s), and Charlotte's Web (Emerald City Theatre). Casey received his MFA from The Theatre School at DePaul University.

Wendy Robie (Mag Folan) returns to Chicago after an extended visit to the West Coast to appear in David Lynch’s Twin Peaks: The Return (Showtime) reprising her role as “Nadine Hurley.”

Wendy Robie (Mag Folan) is back in Chicago after an extended visit to the West Coast to appear in David Lynch’s Twin Peaks: The Return (Showtime) reprising her role as “Nadine Hurley.” In Chicago, Robie has appeared at Drury Lane, Chicago Dramatists, Northlight, Chicago Shakespeare, Goodman Theatre, Remy Bumppo, and Next Theatre. As a Company Member for Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Ontario, Robie played Regan in Brian Bedford’s King Lear in 2007.  Most recently in Seattle, Robie played Volumnia in the critically acclaimed all-female production of Coriolanus: Fight Like A Bitch. Film: Wes Craven’s The People Under The Stairs, Vampire In Brooklyn, The Attic Expeditions, Lost Voyage, Devil In The Flesh, The Dentist II, Were The World Mine. TV: Star Trek DS9, Any Day Now, Party Of Five, Quantum Leap, Dark Skies, C-16, Baywatch, Prophet Of Evil, A Place For Annie, and two seasons as Nadine in the original Twin Peaks.

The Box Office is located at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Boulevard, in Skokie. Box Office hours are Monday-Friday 10:00am-5:00pm, and Saturdays 12:00pm-5:00pm. On performance days, the box office hours are extended through showtime. The Box Office is closed on Sundays, except on performance days when it is open two hours prior to showtime.

Curtain times are: Tuesdays: 7:30pm (March 20 only); Wednesdays: 1:00pm (except April 4) and 7:30pm; Thursdays: 7:30pm; Fridays: 8:00pm; Saturdays: 2:30pm (except March 17) and 8:00pm; and Sundays: 2:30pm (except April 1) and 7:00pm (March 18 and April 8 only).

The Beauty Queen of Leenane received its world premiere presented by the Druid Theatre Company in Galway it February 1996. It then toured Ireland and transferred to London's West End, where it opened at the Royal Court Theatre. It was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Play.

Northlight is continuing its popular special event series in conjunction with each production. All events are free.

Backstage with BJ: The Beauty Queen of Leenane
Friday, March 9 at noon
at Northlight Theatre
9501 Skokie Boulevard, Skokie, IL
Backstage with BJ is a mid-day discussion with Artistic Director BJ Jones, featuring special guest artists, actors, directors and designers, offering behind-the-scenes insight into each production while it is still in rehearsal. Backstage with BJ for The Beauty Queen of Leenane will last approximately one hour. The event is free but reservations are required. Visit https://northlight.org/events/backstage-with-bj/ to reserve your spot.

Martin McDonagh in Theatre and Film
Tuesday April 3 at 7pm 
at the Irish American Heritage Center
4626 N Knox Ave, Chicago, IL 
Explore the worlds created by the brilliant mind of Martin McDonagh - from his critically acclaimed film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri to the Tony Award-winning The Beauty Queen of Leenane, we will discuss what makes McDonagh one of the most celebrated writers of his time.

Inside Look: The Beauty Queen of Leenane
Tuesday, April 17 at 2:00pm
Skokie Public Library
5215 Oakton St, Skokie, IL
Explore the social and historical context of The Beauty Queen of Leenane through a discussion and Q&A session with artists related to the production.

Northlight Theatre aspires to promote change of perspective and encourage compassion by exploring the depth of our humanity across a bold spectrum of theatrical experiences, reflecting our community to the world and the world to our community. 

Now in its 43rd season, the organization has mounted over 200 productions, including nearly 40 world premieres. Northlight has earned 202 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 34 Awards. As one of the area’s premier theatre companies, Northlight is a regional magnet for critical and professional acclaim, as well as talent of the highest quality. 

Northlight is supported in part by generous contributions from Allstate Insurance; the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Robert & Isabelle Bass Foundation; BMO Harris Bank; Henrietta Lange Burk Fund; The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; The Chicago Community Trust; ComEd, An Exelon Company; The Davee Foundation; Edgerton Foundation for New American Plays Award; Evanston Community Foundation; Full Circle Foundation; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; Kirkland & Ellis Foundation; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Melvoin Award for Playwriting; Modestus Bauer Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; Niles Township; The Offield Family Foundation; The Pauls Foundation; Room & Board; Sanborn Family Foundation; Dr. Scholl Foundation; The Shubert Foundation, Inc.; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; The Sullivan Family Foundation; and Tom Stringer Design Partners.


Dates: Previews: March 15 – March 22, 2018

Regular run: March 24 – April 22, 2018

Schedule:
Tuesdays: 7:30pm (March 20 only)
Wednesdays: 1:00pm (except April 4) and 7:30pm
Thursdays: 7:30pm 
Fridays: 8:00pm
Saturdays: 2:30pm (except March 17) and 8:00pm
Sundays: 2:30pm (except April 1) and 7:00pm (March 18 and April 8 only)

Location:
Northlight Theatre is located at the North Shore
Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd,
Skokie

Tickets:
Previews: $30-$57
Regular run: $30-$81
Student tickets are $15, any performance 
(subject to availability)

Box Office:
The Box Office is located at 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie.
847.673.6300; northlight.org

REVIEW: Skeleton Crew Skewers As Impressive Detroit Cycle Conclusion

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Northlight Theatre continues its 2017-18 season with

Skeleton Crew

Written by Dominique Morisseau

Directed by Ron OJ Parson

Featuring Bernard Gilbert, Kelvin Roston Jr., AnJi White and Jacqueline Williams

Skeleton Crew Photo credit: Charles Osgood Photography

Review:

Here at ChiIL Live Shows it's been a great pleasure to catch all 3 plays in Dominique Morisseau's acclaimed trilogy, directed by Ron OJ Parson. The concluding show, Skeleton Crew, did not disappoint. I was particularly struck by the amazing set design, sound design, and lighting that effectively evoke both the relentless, rhythmic cacophony of a Detroit auto stamping plant, and the desolate refuge of the break room, of a dying industry and it's desperate workers. The production is poignant, powerful and incredibly well cast. Jacqueline Williams (Faye) is a particular standout, well supported by Bernard Gilbert (Dez), Kelvin Roston Jr. (Reggie), and AnJi White (Shanita).

This is a rare glimpse into the struggle for survival so many blue collar workers face. With insufficient healthcare and precarious job security, most of these hardworking Americans are just a paycheck or less away from homelessness. The large and small indignities, acts of kindness, addictions, small comforts, and dynamics between coworkers evoke a rollercoaster of emotions, as we're privy to the lives of a scrappy, homeless cancer survivor, a pregnant single mom, an aspiring businessman, and their boss who is caught between management and his past, struggling to do right by everyone. 







Skeleton crew humanizes the unseen lives behind the ubiquitous cars we're surrounded by on a daily basis. Morisseau effectively skewers the sometimes heartless corporations that give and take livelihoods, and worship the bottom line, despite human casualties. Highly recommended. 

Through March 3, 2018

Skeleton Crew is part of a 3-part cycle of plays by Dominique Morisseau set in Detroit Previously, Detroit ‘67 was produced at Northlight and Paradise Blue was produced locally at TimeLine. Ron OJ Parson directed all of them.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, continues its 2017-18 season with Skeleton Crew, written by Dominique Morisseau and directed by Ron OJ Parson. Skeleton Crew runs January 25 – March 3, 2018 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie. 

At the start of the Great Recession, rumors of impending closure surround one of the last auto plants in Detroit. The nation’s financial crisis gets personal as each of the workers confronts the life-altering choices they must make if their plant goes under, while the supervisor is torn between allegiances to his makeshift family of co-workers and management’s “cost-saving” demands. When pushed to the limits of survival, how far over the lines are people willing to cross?

Playwright Dominique Morisseau was one of the Top 20 Most Produced Playwrights in America in 2015–16, with ten productions of her plays being produced. She is a two-time award winner of the NAACP Image Award, which celebrates the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts, as well as those individuals or groups who promote social justice through their creative endeavors.

The third play in Dominique Morisseau’s Detroit trilogy, Skeleton Crew was named one of Time Magazine’s 10 Best Shows of the Year. BJ Jones comments, “Several years ago Northlight introduced playwright Dominique Morisseau to Chicago with Detroit '67, the first installment of her Detroit trilogy. Paradise Blue was produced at Timeline Theatre in 2017, and Skeleton Crew completes the trio. 

Her triptych spans decades of a sociopolitical evolution in her home city. With Skeleton Crew, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, Morisseau looks at life on the assembly line—which feels like a conveyor belt to oblivion. Set in 2008, the diminishing workers are in a race to stay ahead of the collapsing economy, fighting for their financial lives. While much of the country has their eyes set on Wall Street, more concerned with their portfolios than their neighbors, the working majority don’t own stock and struggle to pay the rent. Dominique re-focuses our gaze on the majority, whose hourly wage becomes more precious by the day.” 

The cast of Skeleton Crew includes Bernard Gilbert (Dez), Kelvin Roston Jr. (Reggie), Jacqueline Williams (Faye) and AnJi White (Shanita).

The creative team includes Scott Davis (Scenic Design), Samantha C. Jones (Costume Design), Keith Parham (Lighting Design), and Ray Nardelli (Sound Design). The production stage manager is Rita Vreeland.

Northlight’s production of Skeleton Crew is supported in part by The Chicago Community Trust, National Endowment for the Arts, The Pauls Foundation, Carol and Steve Mullins, Bill and Eleanor Revelle, Hagerty Consulting, and Alan Zunamon and Nancy Cunniff.



ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Dominique Morisseau (Playwright) is the author of The Detroit Project (A 3-Play Cycle) which includes the following plays: Skeleton Crew (Atlantic Theater Company), Paradise Blue (Signature Theatre), and Detroit ’67 (Public Theater, Classical Theatre of Harlem and NBT). Additional plays include: Pipeline (Lincoln Center Theatre), Sunset Baby (LAByrinth Theatre); Blood at the Root (National Black Theatre) and Follow Me To Nellie’s (Premiere Stages). She is also the book writer on the new musical Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations (Berkeley Repertory Theatre). Dominique is alumna of The Public Theater Emerging Writer’s Group, Women’s Project Lab, and Lark Playwrights Workshop and has developed work at Sundance Lab and Eugene O’Neil Playwrights Conference. Her work has been commissioned by the Hip Hop Theater Festival, Steppenwolf Theater Company, Women’s Project, South Coast Rep, People’s Light and Theatre, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival/Penumbra Theatre. She recently served as Co‐Producer on the Showtime series “Shameless.” Awards include: Stavis Playwriting Award, NAACP Image Award, Spirit of Detroit Award, Weissberger Award, PoNY Fellowship, Sky-­‐Cooper New American Play Prize, TEER Spirit Trailblazer Award, Steinberg Playwright Award, Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama (Detroit ’67), Audelco and OBIE Award (Skeleton Crew).

Ron OJ Parson (Director) is a native of Buffalo, New York and is a graduate of the The University of Michigan’s professional theatre program. He is a resident artist at Court and former co-founder and artistic director of The Onyx Theatre Ensemble. Chicago credits include Court, Timeline (Company Member), Victory Gardens, Northlight, Teatro Vista (Associate Artist), Goodman, Black Ensemble, ETA, Congo Square, Chicago Dramatist, Urban Theatre Company, Steppenwolf, Chicago Theatre Company, City Lit, and Windy City Playhouse. Regional credits include Virginia Stage Company, Portland Stage, Studio Theatre, Studio Arena Theatre, Roundabout, Mechanic Theatre, Center Stage Baltimore, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Milwaukee Rep, St. Louis Black Rep, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre, Geva Theatre, Signature Theatre (New York), Alliance Theatre, South Coast Rep, Kansas City Rep, and Pasadena Playhouse. Ron has also directed at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Recent directing credits include Apt. 3A, East Texas Hot Links, Paradise Blue, Blues For An Alabama Sky, 5 Guys Named Moe, and Fences. Ron is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA, AEA, and SDC.

Bernard Gilbert (Dez) makes his Northlight debut. His other theatre credits include The Royale (The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; and City Theatre, Pittsburgh), the world premiere of Man in the Ring (Court), Letters Home (Griffin Theatre), and Our Lady of 121st Street (Eclipse Theatre). Bernard is a graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul.


Kelvin Roston, Jr. previously appeared at Northlight in Morisseau’s Detroit ’67. He most recently appeared in the acclaimed production of Five Guys Named Moe at Court Theatre. 

Kelvin Roston Jr. (Reggie) returns to Northlight where he was last seen as Sly in Dominique Morisseau’s Detroit ’67.  Kelvin most recently played Four-eyed Moe in Court’s Five Guys Named Moe. Chicago credits: Congo Square, Court, Paramount, Marriott, Goodman, ITC, Eta, Writers, Black Ensemble, Timeline, Northlight, and Steppenwolf. Regional: The Black Rep, Fulton, New Theatre Restaurant, MSMT, and Baltimore Center Stage. International: Orb, Festival Hall. TV: Chicago Med, Chicago PD, KFC, and Instant Care.  Film: Get a Job, Princess Cyd, and Breathing Room. He is a 4-time Jeff Award nominee, Jeff winner (Best Ensemble, East Texas Hotlinks, Writers), 3-time BTA Award winner, and 2-time Black Excellence Award winner. He wrote and performed the play Twisted Melodies for which he won the Light in the Darkness Public Education Award from NAMI. Kelvin is an Artistic Associate of Congo Square, a proud member of AEA, and represented by Paonessa Talent.

AnJi White (Shanita) makes her Northlight debut. Chicago credits include Monticello (Aurora Works Theatre); Great & Terrible Wizard of Oz (House); The Last Wife, Sunset Baby (Timeline); The Project(s), Rent (ATC); Fabulation, or the Re-education of Undine (Pulse Theatre); Forgotten Future Remount (Collaboraction Theatre); Mud, River, Stone (Eclipse Theatre); Ithaka (Infusion Theatre) and Soul Samarai (Infusion Theatre). TV & Film credits: Chicago PD, Empire, Home for the Weekend (Pilot), and Hope Springs Eternal. Represented by Paonessa Talent, AnJi has received 3 BTAA nominations, 1 Jeff nomination and received the BTAA for Best Actress for Timeline’s Sunset Baby. 

Jacqueline Williams recently returned from Los Angeles where she reprised her role of Mae, opposite Phylicia Rashad, in Academy Award winner Tarell McCraney’s Head of Passes at Mark Taper Forum.

Jacqueline Williams (Faye) returns to Northlight after reprising her role of Mae in Academy Award winner Tarell McCraney’s Head of Passes at Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles opposite Phylicia Rashad. Northlight appearances include The Miser, Gees Bend, and Po’ Boy Tango. Broadway: Young Man From Atlanta. Off Broadway: From The Mississippi Delta (Oprah Winfrey co-produced), Talented Tenth, Mill Fire. Select Chicago credits include The Christians, Airline Highway, Head of Passes, Brother/Sister Plays (Steppenwolf); Man in the Ring, Gem of the Ocean, Fences, Caroline, or Change (Court); The House That Will Not Stand, A Wonder In My Soul (Victory Gardens); Pullman Porter Blues, stop.reset, Camino Real, Trinity River Plays and many more (Goodman). She has worked extensively regionally including tours with the Johannesbug’s Market Theatre and Crowns. TV/Film: Turks, recurring on Chicago Fire, PD, and Med; Empire, Prison Break, Heartlock, The Break Up, The Lake House. Her many awards/nominations include Jeff, Helen Hayes, BTAA, American Arts Council, Lunt-Fontanne (Shakespeare) Fellow and Excellence in the Arts. 

The Box Office is located at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Boulevard, in Skokie. Box Office hours are Monday-Friday 10:00am-5:00pm, and Saturdays 12:00pm-5:00pm. On performance days, the box office hours are extended through showtime. The Box Office is closed on Sundays, except on performance days when it is open two hours prior to showtime.

Curtain times are: Tuesdays: 7:30pm (January 30 only); Wednesdays: 1:00pm (except February 21) and 7:30pm; Thursdays: 7:30pm; Fridays: 8:00pm; Saturdays: 2:30pm (except January 27) and 8:00pm; and Sundays: 2:30pm and 7:00pm (January 28 and February 25 only).



Northlight is continuing its popular special event series in conjunction with each production. All events are free.

Backstage with BJ: Skeleton Crew
Friday, January 19 at noon
at Northlight Theatre
9501 Skokie Boulevard, Skokie, IL
Backstage with BJ is a mid-day discussion with Artistic Director BJ Jones, featuring special guest artists, actors, directors and designers, offering behind-the-scenes insight into each production while it is still in rehearsal. Backstage with BJ for Skeleton Crew will last approximately one hour. The event is free but reservations are required. Visit https://northlight.org/events/backstage-with-bj/ to reserve your spot.

Inside Look: Skeleton Crew
Tuesday, February 6 at 2:00pm
 
Evanston Public Library
1703 Orrington Avenue, Evanston, IL
Explore the social and historical context of Skeleton Crew through a discussion and Q&A session with artists related to the production.

Community Panel Discussion
Saturday, February 10 at 3:00pm
Curt’s Café
 2922 Central St, Evanston, IL
The play portrays employees on the brink of probable unemployment, facing the pressures of mortgage payments, raising children, and potential homelessness. Northlight's Artistic team will engage with community organizations to discuss the relevance of the play's themes to Chicago's North Shore and what we can do to make a difference. Panelists include: Karen Tollenar Demorest, Executive Director, Youth Job Center; Andi Drileck, Vice President of Workforce Services, National Able Network; and Sue Loelbach, Manager of Advocacy, Connections for the Homeless.

Northlight Theatre aspires to promote change of perspective and encourage compassion by exploring the depth of our humanity across a bold spectrum of theatrical experiences, reflecting our community to the world and the world to our community. 

Now in its 43rd season, the organization has mounted over 200 productions, including nearly 40 world premieres. Northlight has earned 203 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 34 Awards. As one of the area’s premier theatre companies, Northlight is a regional magnet for critical and professional acclaim, as well as talent of the highest quality. 

Northlight is supported in part by generous contributions from Allstate Insurance; the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Robert & Isabelle Bass Foundation; BMO Harris Bank; Henrietta Lange Burk Fund; The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; The Chicago Community Trust; ComEd, An Exelon Company; The Davee Foundation; Edgerton Foundation for New American Plays Award; Evanston Community Foundation; Full Circle Foundation; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; Kirkland & Ellis Foundation; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Melvoin Award for Playwriting; Modestus Bauer Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; Niles Township; The Offield Family Foundation; The Pauls Foundation; Room & Board; Sanborn Family Foundation; Dr. Scholl Foundation; The Shubert Foundation, Inc.; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; The Sullivan Family Foundation; and Tom Stringer Design Partners.

Dates:
Previews: January 25 – February 1, 2018
Regular run: February 3 – March 3, 2018

Schedule:
Tuesdays: 7:30pm (January 30 only)

Wednesdays: 1:00pm (except February 21) and 7:30pm
Thursdays: 7:30pm 
Fridays: 8:00pm
Saturdays: 2:30pm (except January 27) and 8:00pm
Sundays: 2:30pm and 7:00pm (January 28 and February 25 only)

Location: Northlight Theatre is located at the North Shore
Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd,
Skokie

Tickets: Previews: $30-$57
Regular run: $30-$81
Student tickets are $15, any performance 
(subject to availability)

Box Office:The Box Office is located at 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie.
847.673.6300; northlight.org

OPENING: Skeleton Crew at Northlight Theatre Through 3/3/18

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Northlight Theatre continues its 2017-18 season with

Skeleton Crew

Written by Dominique Morisseau

Directed by Ron OJ Parson

Featuring Bernard Gilbert, Kelvin Roston Jr., AnJi White and Jacqueline Williams

January 25 – March 3, 2018

Here at ChiIL Live Shows we're eager to catch Skeleton Crew, which concludes Dominique Morisseau's acclaimed trilogy. I had an informal chat with director, Ron OJ Parson recently and he peaked my interest in the production even more. He's even enlisted input on the show from a long time friend who has first hand experience working in the Detroit auto plants. I've thoroughly enjoyed Parson's directing prowess all over Chicago in the past few years, including Dominique Morisseau's Paradise Blue which was produced at Timeline Theatre in 2017. I'll be out for the press opening February 2nd, so check back soon for my full review.

Skeleton Crew is part of a 3-part cycle of play by Dominique Morisseau set in Detroit Previously, Detroit ‘67 was produced at Northlight and Paradise Blue was produced locally at TimeLine. Ron OJ Parson directed all of them.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, continues its 2017-18 season with Skeleton Crew, written by Dominique Morisseau and directed by Ron OJ Parson. Skeleton Crew runs January 25 – March 3, 2018 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie. 

At the start of the Great Recession, rumors of impending closure surround one of the last auto plants in Detroit. The nation’s financial crisis gets personal as each of the workers confronts the life-altering choices they must make if their plant goes under, while the supervisor is torn between allegiances to his makeshift family of co-workers and management’s “cost-saving” demands. When pushed to the limits of survival, how far over the lines are people willing to cross?

Playwright Dominique Morisseau was one of the Top 20 Most Produced Playwrights in America in 2015–16, with ten productions of her plays being produced. She is a two-time award winner of the NAACP Image Award, which celebrates the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts, as well as those individuals or groups who promote social justice through their creative endeavors.

The third play in Dominique Morisseau’s Detroit trilogy, Skeleton Crew was named one of Time Magazine’s 10 Best Shows of the Year. BJ Jones comments, “Several years ago Northlight introduced playwright Dominique Morisseau to Chicago with Detroit '67, the first installment of her Detroit trilogy. Paradise Blue was produced at Timeline Theatre in 2017, and Skeleton Crew completes the trio. 

Her triptych spans decades of a sociopolitical evolution in her home city. With Skeleton Crew, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, Morisseau looks at life on the assembly line—which feels like a conveyor belt to oblivion. Set in 2008, the diminishing workers are in a race to stay ahead of the collapsing economy, fighting for their financial lives. While much of the country has their eyes set on Wall Street, more concerned with their portfolios than their neighbors, the working majority don’t own stock and struggle to pay the rent. Dominique re-focuses our gaze on the majority, whose hourly wage becomes more precious by the day.” 

The cast of Skeleton Crew includes Bernard Gilbert (Dez), Kelvin Roston Jr. (Reggie), Jacqueline Williams (Faye) and AnJi White (Shanita).

The creative team includes Scott Davis (Scenic Design), Samantha C. Jones (Costume Design), Keith Parham (Lighting Design), and Ray Nardelli (Sound Design). The production stage manager is Rita Vreeland.

Northlight’s production of Skeleton Crew is supported in part by The Chicago Community Trust, National Endowment for the Arts, The Pauls Foundation, Carol and Steve Mullins, Bill and Eleanor Revelle, Hagerty Consulting, and Alan Zunamon and Nancy Cunniff.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Dominique Morisseau (Playwright) is the author of The Detroit Project (A 3-Play Cycle) which includes the following plays: Skeleton Crew (Atlantic Theater Company), Paradise Blue (Signature Theatre), and Detroit ’67 (Public Theater, Classical Theatre of Harlem and NBT). Additional plays include: Pipeline (Lincoln Center Theatre), Sunset Baby (LAByrinth Theatre); Blood at the Root (National Black Theatre) and Follow Me To Nellie’s (Premiere Stages). She is also the book writer on the new musical Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations (Berkeley Repertory Theatre). Dominique is alumna of The Public Theater Emerging Writer’s Group, Women’s Project Lab, and Lark Playwrights Workshop and has developed work at Sundance Lab and Eugene O’Neil Playwrights Conference. Her work has been commissioned by the Hip Hop Theater Festival, Steppenwolf Theater Company, Women’s Project, South Coast Rep, People’s Light and Theatre, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival/Penumbra Theatre. She recently served as Co‐Producer on the Showtime series “Shameless.” Awards include: Stavis Playwriting Award, NAACP Image Award, Spirit of Detroit Award, Weissberger Award, PoNY Fellowship, Sky-­‐Cooper New American Play Prize, TEER Spirit Trailblazer Award, Steinberg Playwright Award, Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama (Detroit ’67), Audelco and OBIE Award (Skeleton Crew).

Ron OJ Parson (Director) is a native of Buffalo, New York and is a graduate of the The University of Michigan’s professional theatre program. He is a resident artist at Court and former co-founder and artistic director of The Onyx Theatre Ensemble. Chicago credits include Court, Timeline (Company Member), Victory Gardens, Northlight, Teatro Vista (Associate Artist), Goodman, Black Ensemble, ETA, Congo Square, Chicago Dramatist, Urban Theatre Company, Steppenwolf, Chicago Theatre Company, City Lit, and Windy City Playhouse. Regional credits include Virginia Stage Company, Portland Stage, Studio Theatre, Studio Arena Theatre, Roundabout, Mechanic Theatre, Center Stage Baltimore, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Milwaukee Rep, St. Louis Black Rep, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre, Geva Theatre, Signature Theatre (New York), Alliance Theatre, South Coast Rep, Kansas City Rep, and Pasadena Playhouse. Ron has also directed at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Recent directing credits include Apt. 3A, East Texas Hot Links, Paradise Blue, Blues For An Alabama Sky, 5 Guys Named Moe, and Fences. Ron is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA, AEA, and SDC.

Bernard Gilbert (Dez) makes his Northlight debut. His other theatre credits include The Royale (The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; and City Theatre, Pittsburgh), the world premiere of Man in the Ring (Court), Letters Home (Griffin Theatre), and Our Lady of 121st Street (Eclipse Theatre). Bernard is a graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul.


Kelvin Roston, Jr. previously appeared at Northlight in Morisseau’s Detroit ’67. He most recently appeared in the acclaimed production of Five Guys Named Moe at Court Theatre. 

Kelvin Roston Jr. (Reggie) returns to Northlight where he was last seen as Sly in Dominique Morisseau’s Detroit ’67.  Kelvin most recently played Four-eyed Moe in Court’s Five Guys Named Moe. Chicago credits: Congo Square, Court, Paramount, Marriott, Goodman, ITC, Eta, Writers, Black Ensemble, Timeline, Northlight, and Steppenwolf. Regional: The Black Rep, Fulton, New Theatre Restaurant, MSMT, and Baltimore Center Stage. International: Orb, Festival Hall. TV: Chicago Med, Chicago PD, KFC, and Instant Care.  Film: Get a Job, Princess Cyd, and Breathing Room. He is a 4-time Jeff Award nominee, Jeff winner (Best Ensemble, East Texas Hotlinks, Writers), 3-time BTA Award winner, and 2-time Black Excellence Award winner. He wrote and performed the play Twisted Melodies for which he won the Light in the Darkness Public Education Award from NAMI. Kelvin is an Artistic Associate of Congo Square, a proud member of AEA, and represented by Paonessa Talent.

AnJi White (Shanita) makes her Northlight debut. Chicago credits include Monticello (Aurora Works Theatre); Great & Terrible Wizard of Oz (House); The Last Wife, Sunset Baby (Timeline); The Project(s), Rent (ATC); Fabulation, or the Re-education of Undine (Pulse Theatre); Forgotten Future Remount (Collaboraction Theatre); Mud, River, Stone (Eclipse Theatre); Ithaka (Infusion Theatre) and Soul Samarai (Infusion Theatre). TV & Film credits: Chicago PD, Empire, Home for the Weekend (Pilot), and Hope Springs Eternal. Represented by Paonessa Talent, AnJi has received 3 BTAA nominations, 1 Jeff nomination and received the BTAA for Best Actress for Timeline’s Sunset Baby. 

Jacqueline Williams recently returned from Los Angeles where she reprised her role of Mae, opposite Phylicia Rashad, in Academy Award winner Tarell McCraney’s Head of Passes at Mark Taper Forum.

Jacqueline Williams (Faye) returns to Northlight after reprising her role of Mae in Academy Award winner Tarell McCraney’s Head of Passes at Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles opposite Phylicia Rashad. Northlight appearances include The Miser, Gees Bend, and Po’ Boy Tango. Broadway: Young Man From Atlanta. Off Broadway: From The Mississippi Delta (Oprah Winfrey co-produced), Talented Tenth, Mill Fire. Select Chicago credits include The Christians, Airline Highway, Head of Passes, Brother/Sister Plays (Steppenwolf); Man in the Ring, Gem of the Ocean, Fences, Caroline, or Change (Court); The House That Will Not Stand, A Wonder In My Soul (Victory Gardens); Pullman Porter Blues, stop.reset, Camino Real, Trinity River Plays and many more (Goodman). She has worked extensively regionally including tours with the Johannesbug’s Market Theatre and Crowns. TV/Film: Turks, recurring on Chicago Fire, PD, and Med; Empire, Prison Break, Heartlock, The Break Up, The Lake House. Her many awards/nominations include Jeff, Helen Hayes, BTAA, American Arts Council, Lunt-Fontanne (Shakespeare) Fellow and Excellence in the Arts. 

The Box Office is located at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Boulevard, in Skokie. Box Office hours are Monday-Friday 10:00am-5:00pm, and Saturdays 12:00pm-5:00pm. On performance days, the box office hours are extended through showtime. The Box Office is closed on Sundays, except on performance days when it is open two hours prior to showtime.

Curtain times are: Tuesdays: 7:30pm (January 30 only); Wednesdays: 1:00pm (except February 21) and 7:30pm; Thursdays: 7:30pm; Fridays: 8:00pm; Saturdays: 2:30pm (except January 27) and 8:00pm; and Sundays: 2:30pm and 7:00pm (January 28 and February 25 only).

Northlight is continuing its popular special event series in conjunction with each production. All events are free.

Backstage with BJ: Skeleton Crew
Friday, January 19 at noon
at Northlight Theatre
9501 Skokie Boulevard, Skokie, IL
Backstage with BJ is a mid-day discussion with Artistic Director BJ Jones, featuring special guest artists, actors, directors and designers, offering behind-the-scenes insight into each production while it is still in rehearsal. Backstage with BJ for Skeleton Crew will last approximately one hour. The event is free but reservations are required. Visit https://northlight.org/events/backstage-with-bj/ to reserve your spot.

Inside Look: Skeleton Crew
Tuesday, February 6 at 2:00pm
 
Evanston Public Library
1703 Orrington Avenue, Evanston, IL
Explore the social and historical context of Skeleton Crew through a discussion and Q&A session with artists related to the production.

Community Panel Discussion
Saturday, February 10 at 3:00pm
Curt’s Café
 2922 Central St, Evanston, IL
The play portrays employees on the brink of probable unemployment, facing the pressures of mortgage payments, raising children, and potential homelessness. Northlight's Artistic team will engage with community organizations to discuss the relevance of the play's themes to Chicago's North Shore and what we can do to make a difference. Panelists include: Karen Tollenar Demorest, Executive Director, Youth Job Center; Andi Drileck, Vice President of Workforce Services, National Able Network; and Sue Loelbach, Manager of Advocacy, Connections for the Homeless.

Northlight Theatre aspires to promote change of perspective and encourage compassion by exploring the depth of our humanity across a bold spectrum of theatrical experiences, reflecting our community to the world and the world to our community. 

Now in its 43rd season, the organization has mounted over 200 productions, including nearly 40 world premieres. Northlight has earned 203 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 34 Awards. As one of the area’s premier theatre companies, Northlight is a regional magnet for critical and professional acclaim, as well as talent of the highest quality. 

Northlight is supported in part by generous contributions from Allstate Insurance; the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Robert & Isabelle Bass Foundation; BMO Harris Bank; Henrietta Lange Burk Fund; The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; The Chicago Community Trust; ComEd, An Exelon Company; The Davee Foundation; Edgerton Foundation for New American Plays Award; Evanston Community Foundation; Full Circle Foundation; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; Kirkland & Ellis Foundation; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Melvoin Award for Playwriting; Modestus Bauer Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; Niles Township; The Offield Family Foundation; The Pauls Foundation; Room & Board; Sanborn Family Foundation; Dr. Scholl Foundation; The Shubert Foundation, Inc.; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; The Sullivan Family Foundation; and Tom Stringer Design Partners.

Dates:
Previews: January 25 – February 1, 2018
Regular run: February 3 – March 3, 2018

Schedule:
Tuesdays: 7:30pm (January 30 only)

Wednesdays: 1:00pm (except February 21) and 7:30pm
Thursdays: 7:30pm 
Fridays: 8:00pm
Saturdays: 2:30pm (except January 27) and 8:00pm
Sundays: 2:30pm and 7:00pm (January 28 and February 25 only)

Location: Northlight Theatre is located at the North Shore
Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd,
Skokie

Tickets: Previews: $30-$57
Regular run: $30-$81
Student tickets are $15, any performance 
(subject to availability)

Box Office:The Box Office is located at 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie.


847.673.6300; northlight.org

OPENING: Midwest Premiere of The Book of Will at Northlight Theatre Through December 17th

Northlight Theatre continues its 2017-18 season

with the Midwest Premiere of

The Book of Will

By Lauren Gunderson

Directed by Jessica Thebus

November 9 – December 17, 2017

Here at ChiIL Live Show, we adore Shakespeare and can't wait to catch  Northlight Theatre's latest, The Book of Will, by Lauren Gunderson, author of Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, last year's Jeff nominated holiday hit at Northlight. We're also elated this production is both written and directed by women! We'll be seeing it on November 22nd, so check back shortly after for our full review.

Northlight Theatre recently received the 50/50 Applause Award for 2017 from the International Centre for Women Playwrights. The company was among 58 recipients honored for producing 50% or more plays by women playwrights during the 2016/17 season (which included the World Premiere of Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon).

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents the Midwest Premiere of The Book of Will, written by Lauren Gunderson and directed by Jessica Thebus.  The Book of Will runs November 9 – December 17, 2017 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie. 

William Shakespeare wrote some of the world’s most beloved plays – but without his friends, they may have been lost to history! Follow the members of Shakespeare’s own company as they cunningly navigate the production of the First Folio in 1623. They may not have any money or clear-cut rights to his work, but they’re armed with wit, humor, a deep camaraderie and a passion to preserve the plays that shaped their lives. With the help of their wives and colleagues, two actors set out not only to print a collection, but to uphold a legacy for the world. From the author of Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley.

Artistic Director BJ Jones comments, “Lauren Gunderson is one of America's most produced playwrights thanks to Miss Bennet and now The Book of Will. We are proud to have introduced her work to Chicago, and of the Jeff nomination she received for Miss Bennet. Our continued collaboration with her is a joy for us and, we're sure, for our audiences.”

In The Book of Will, playwright Lauren Gunderson imagines the backstory of the creation Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies – commonly referred to as The First Folio. Shakespeare’s fellow actors, John Heminges and Henry Condell, were responsible for and had to collect copies of the plays in the form of actors’ sides, prompt books, quarto texts and handwritten versions. Without them we may have forever lost plays such as Macbeth, Julius Caesar, and Twelfth Night.

The cast of The Book of Will includes Rengin Altay (Rebecca Heminges/Anne Hathaway), Dana Black (Alice Heminges/Susannah Shakespeare), McKinley Carter (Elizabeth Condell/Emilia Bassano Lanier), Thomas J. Cox (Ralph Crane), William Dick (Ben Jonson/Sir Edward Dering), Sam Hubbard (Boy Hamlet/Marcus/Bernardo), Gregory Linington (Henry Condell), Jim Ortlieb (John Heminges), Luigi Sottile (Ed Knight/Isaac Jaggard) and Austin Tichenor (Richard Burbage/William Jaggard).

Austin Tichenor, playing Richard Burbage/William Jaggard), co-wrote Pop-Up Shakespeare, an illustrated pop-up book showing scenes and moments from all of Shakespeare’s plays. The book was released in early October.  He wrote and performed in ten productions with the Reduced Shakespeare Company and hosts the weekly Reduced Shakespeare Company podcast.

The creative team includes Richard and Jacqueline Penrod (Scenic Design), Janice Pytel (Costume Design), Paul Toben (Lighting Design), and Rick Sims (Sound Design). The production stage manager is Kimberly Ann McCann.

The Box Office is located at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Boulevard, in Skokie. Box Office hours are Monday-Friday 10:00am-5:00pm, and Saturdays 12:00pm-5:00pm. On performance days, the box office hours are extended through showtime. The Box Office is closed on Sundays, except on performance days when it is open two hours prior to showtime.

Curtain times are: Tuesdays: 7:30pm (November 14 and 21 only); Wednesdays: 1:00pm and 7:30pm; Thursdays: 7:30pm (except Thanksgiving – November 23); Fridays: 8:00pm; Saturdays: 2:30pm (except November 11) and 8:00pm; and Sundays: 2:30pm and 7:00pm (November 12 and 26 only).

Northlight is continuing its popular special event series in conjunction with each production. All events are free.

Backstage with BJ: The Book of Will
Friday, November 3 at noon
at Northlight Theatre
9501 Skokie Boulevard, Skokie, IL
Backstage with BJ is a mid-day discussion with Artistic Director BJ Jones, featuring special guest artists, actors, directors and designers, offering behind-the-scenes insight into each production while it is still in rehearsal. Backstage with BJ for The Book of Will will last approximately one hour. The event is free but reservations are required. Visit https://northlight.org/events/backstage-with-bj/ to reserve your spot.

Inside The Book of Will
Thursday, November 30 at 2:00 pm
Skokie Public Library, 5215 Oakton St., Skokie
Explore the ​inspiring true story of Shakespeare's First Folio and how that tale has been translated to the stage in a discussion and Q&A with artists related to the production.

Published in 1623, The First Folio contains approximately 900 pages and the following plays:

Comedies: The Tempest, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Measure for Measure, The Comedy of Errors, Much Ado About Nothing, Love's Labour's Lost, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merchant of Venice, As You Like It, The Taming of the Shrew, All's Well That Ends Well, Twelfth Night, and The Winter's Tale

Histories: King John, Richard II, Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV Part 2, Henry V, Henry VI Part 1, Henry VI Part 2, Henry VI Part 3, Richard III, Henry VIII,

Tragedies: Troilus and Cressida, Coriolanus, Titus Andronicus, Romeo and Juliet, Timon of Athens, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Hamlet, King Lear, Othello, Antony and Cleopatra, and Cymbeline.

'Popping Up' with Austin
Tuesday, December 5 at 6:30pm
The Book Stall, 811 Elm St., Winnetka
Cast member Austin Tichenor will discuss his experiences with the Reduced Shakespeare Company, The Book of Will, and his own ​recent ​book: Pop-Up Shakespeare. Event includes ​a brief performance, book signing, and Q&A.

The Book of Will was commissioned by Denver Center Theatre Company and developed at the 2016 Colorado New Play Summit.

Regular run: November 18 – December 17, 2017

Schedule: Tuesdays: 7:30pm (November 14 and 21 only)
Wednesdays: 1:00pm and 7:30pm           
Thursdays: 7:30pm (except Thanksgiving – November 23)
Fridays: 8:00pm
Saturdays: 2:30pm (except November 11) and 8:00pm
Sundays: 2:30pm and 7:00pm (November 12 and 26 only)

Location: Northlight Theatre is located at the North Shore
Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd,
Skokie

Tickets: Previews: $30-$57
Regular run: $30-$81
Student tickets are $15, any performance
(subject to availability)

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie.
847.673.6300; northlight.org
  

OPENING: Northlight Theatre's 43rd Season Begins With Chicago Premiere of The Legend of Georgia McBride 9/14-10/22/17

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Northlight Theatre opens its 2017-2018 season with

the Chicago Premiere of

The Legend of Georgia McBride

By Matthew Lopez

Directed by Lauren Shouse

September 14-October 22

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents the Chicago Premiere of The Legend of Georgia McBride, written by Matthew Lopez, directed by Lauren Shouse. The Legend of Georgia McBride runs September 14-October 22 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie.

A down-on-his-luck Elvis impersonator has an overdrawn checking account and a baby on the way. When a drag show takes over the entertainment at the Florida Panhandle bar where he performs, he’ll also be out of a job…unless he’s willing to step into some high heels. This heartwarming, music-filled comedy celebrates the unexpected path to finding your true voice.

“When Lauren Shouse brought The Legend of Georgia McBride to my attention, I could immediately see that it was fun, uplifting, musical, and written by one of our favorite authors, Matthew Lopez, who also wrote The Whipping Man,” comments BJ Jones. “It's a piece about outsiders who gradually bring us into their family—a family who celebrates our identities, our freedom, our uniqueness and our commonality. And this central notion is the vital message we need to hear right now in an atmosphere of dissonance, intolerance and hate.”

The cast of The Legend of Georgia McBride includes Sean Blake (Miss Tracy Mills), Keith Kupferer (Eddie), Jeff Kurysz (Rexy/Jason), Nate Santana (Casey) and Leslie Ann Sheppard (Jo). 

The creative team includes Chris Carter (Choreography), Richard and Jacqueline Penrod (Scenic Design), Rachel Laritz (Costume Design), JR Lederle (Lighting Design), Kevin O’Donnell (Sound Design). The production stage manager is Rita Vreeland.

Northlight’s production of The Legend of Georgia McBride is supported in part by Bob and Lisa Silverman.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Director Lauren Shouse is ​the Artistic Associate and Literary Manager at Northlight Theatre. Her local directing credits include Betrayal at Raven and work at Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Rivendell Theatre, Sideshow Theatre, Route 66, Chicago Dramatists, and Stage Left Theatre. Prior to moving to Evanston, Lauren was Artistic Associate at Nashville Rep.

LAUREN SHOUSE (Director) is the Artistic Associate and Literary Manager at Northlight. ​In Chicago, Lauren has also worked with Steppenwolf, Goodman, Lookingglass, R​ivendell, Sideshow, Route 66, Chicago Dramatists, and Stage Left. Her recent directing credits include: ​Betrayal at Raven; Rapture, Blister, Burn, Superior Donuts, and A Christmas Story at Nashville Rep​ertory Theatre; Eurydice and In The Next Room or The Vibrator Play at Northwestern's Wirtz Center; Long Way Down with 3Ps productions; Religion and Rubber Ducks with Ovvio Arte; Parallel Lives, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Last Five Years and Chess in Concert with Street Theatre Company; Rear Window at Chaffin's Barn Theatre; and Sylvia Plath’s 3 Women. A​s Artistic Associate at ​Nashville Rep, Lauren directed the Ingram New Works Play Lab and Festival. She received her MFA in theatre directing at Northwestern University. ​www.laurenshousedirects.com ​

This production of The Legend of Georgia McBride marks the second collaboration with playwright Matthew Lopez and Northlight Theatre. His first play, The Whipping Man, was produced by Northlight in their 2012-2013 season.

MATTHEW LOPEZ (Playwright) is the author of The Whipping Man, one of the most widely-produced American plays of the last decade. The Legend of Georgia McBride premiered at the Denver Center and then produced in New York by MCC and in Los Angeles at the Geffen Playhouse. Other plays include Somewhere (Old Globe, world premiere), Reverberation (Hartford Stage Company, world premiere), The Sentinels (London’s Headlong Theatre Company) and Zoey’s Perfect Wedding (upcoming world premiere at the Denver Center, 2018). Matthew holds commissions from Roundabout Theatre Company, Manhattan Theatre Club, South Coast Rep, The Geffen Playhouse and Williamstown Theatre Festival.  Matthew was a writer on the HBO series The Newsroom and is currently writing the biopic Dr. Q for Disney.


About his diverse body of work, playwright Matthew Lopez comments, “They’re all about home, creating home and family — either blood family or manufactured family. 'Georgia McBride’ is about a group of people who don’t really fit in anywhere else. I call them my misfit toys, and they build a home together at the bar.

SEAN BLAKE (Miss Tracy Mills) returns to the Northlight stage where he was seen in Everything’s Ducky, A Civil War Christmas and Grey Gardens. Broadway/National tours: Showboat (1st National - Dance Captain/Swing) and Showboat (Australia - Assoc. Choreographer). Regional: The Great Society and The Little Foxes (Asolo Rep); Smokey Joe’s Café (Drury Lane); Animal Crackers (Baltimore Centerstage); The Story, Purlie, Ain't Misbehavin, The Rose Tattoo and Bounce (Goodman); Porgy and Bess (Jeff Nomination - Best Supporting Actor) and Raisin (Court); Carousel (Court and Long Wharf Theatre); Birdie Blue (Seattle Rep); Nobody (Alabama Shakespeare); Timon of Athens (Chicago Shakespeare); and  Hot Mikado (Fulton Opera). Sean can be heard on the original cast recording of Stephen Sondheim and Hal Prince's Bounce. He is a recipient of a Black Theatre Alliance Award for Best Actor for his solo performance in Why Not Me? A Sammy Davis Jr. Story written by Tim Rhoze.

KEITH KUPFERER (Eddie) Theater credits include Cat Fee and The Old Neighborhood (Northlight); The Qualms, Good People, Middletown, South of Settling, Of Mice and Men, Carter's Way, Men of Tortuga, Things Being What They Are, and Jesus Hopped The A Train (Steppenwolf); The Humans (American Theatre Company); Support Group for Men, God of Carnage, High Holidays, Passion Play, and The Old Neighborhood  (Goodman); Hillary and Clinton, Never the Sinner, and Appropriate (Victory Gardens); The Mystery of Love and Sex, A Streetcar Named Virginia Wolf  (Writers); Gypsy (Chicago Shakespeare);  Execution of Justice (About Face); and Desire Under The Elms (Court). Screen credits include Widows, The Dilemma, Dark Knight, Public Enemies, The Express, Stranger than Fiction, Road to Perdition, Fred Klaus, Better Call Saul, Shameless, Betrayal, Empire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Fire among others.

JEFF KURYSZ (Rexy/Jason) is so thrilled to be making his Northlight debut. Other Chicago credits include Shakespeare in Love (Chicago Shakespeare); Support Group for Men (Goodman); Romeo and Juliet (Backroom Shakespeare Project); Julius Caesar (Brown Paper Box Co.); As You Like It and Much Ado About Nothing (The Arc Theatre); Year of the Rooster and R+J: The Vineyard (Red Theater); Romeo and Juliet (Teatro Vista); One Came Home (Lifeline); All My Sons (Eclectic Theatre Co.); and Amadeus (Boho Theatre). Regional credits include Richard III, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest (Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre). Television credits include Crisis (NBC). Mr. Kurysz is a graduate of The School at Steppenwolf.

NATE SANTANA (Casey) makes his Northlight debut. Other Chicago credits include SS! Romeo and Juliet and SS! Twelfth Night (Chicago Shakespeare); Marvin’s Room (Shattered Globe); Ironbound (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); Balm in Gilead and Golden Boy (Griffin); White Tie Ball, Momma’s Boyz (Teatro Vista); Comrades Mine (City Lit); The Rainmaker (BoHo); The Merchant of Venice, (First Folio); What Happened When and Slipping (the side project). Television credits include Chicago PD and The Exorcist. Nate is a proud ensemble member of Teatro Vista and an artistic associate with Shattered Globe. He has been nominated for two Jeff Awards and is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf. He received his BA from Valparaiso University.

LESLIE ANN SHEPPARD (Jo) returns for her second Northlight production. She was last seen as Bessie in Eclipsed. Chicago theatre credits include Rosalind in As You Like It (First Folio); Pauline in Cinderella (Hypocrites); Bart in Mr. Burns (Theater Wit); Maddie in The Hundred Dresses and Jabari Dreams of Freedom (Chicago Children’s Theatre); Tree, Lost Boys of Sudan and The Snow Queen (Victory Gardens); Harriet Jacobs (Steppenwolf) and House with No Walls (TimeLine). Regional/touring credits: Fall of the House (Theatre Squared), Julius Caesar (Illinois Shakespeare Festival), Othello’s Furies (Chicago Fringe Festival), and Gershwin’s Magic Key (Classical Kids/Kennedy Center). TV credits: Chicago Fire (NBC), Mob Doctor (FOX). She is a former Artistic Director of The Suitcase Shakespeare Company, an Ensemble Member of The Hypocrites and represented by Gray Talent Group.

The Legend of Georgia McBride received its world premiere at Denver Center Theatre, with subsequent productions at the MCC Lucille Lortel Theatre and the Geffen Theater in LA.

The Box Office is located at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Boulevard, in Skokie. Box Office hours are Monday-Friday 10:00am-5:00pm, and Saturdays 12:00pm-5:00pm. On performance days, the box office hours are extended through showtime. The Box Office is closed on Sundays, except on performance days when it is open two hours prior to showtime.

Curtain times are: Tuesdays: 7:30pm (September 19 and October 17 only); Wednesdays: 1:00pm (except October 11) and 7:30pm; Thursdays: 7:30pm; Fridays: 8:00pm; Saturdays: 2:30pm (except September 16) and 8:00pm; and Sundays: 2:30pm and 7:00pm (September 17 and October 8 only).

Tickets:                  
Previews: $30-$57
                                
Regular run: $30-$81
                             
Student tickets are $15, any performance
(subject to availability)

Box Office:              
The Box Office is located at 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie.
847.673.6300; northlight.org


Northlight is continuing its popular special event series in conjunction with each production.  All events are free. 

Backstage with BJ: The Legend of Georgia McBride
September 8 at 12:00pm 
at Northlight Theatre
9501 Skokie Boulevard, Skokie, IL
Backstage with BJ is a mid-day discussion with Artistic Director BJ Jones, featuring special guest artists, actors, directors and designers, offering behind-the-scenes insight into each production while it is still in rehearsal.  Backstage with BJ for The Legend of Georgia McBride will be held on September 8 at 12:00pm and will last approximately one hour. Event is free but reservations are required. Visit https://northlight.org/events/backstage-with-bj/ to reserve your spot.

Inside Look: The Legend of Georgia McBride
October 5 at 2:00-3:00pm
at Evanston Public Library
1703 Orrington Avenue, Evanston, IL
Explore the context of the play, The Legend of Georgia McBride, through a discussion and a Q&A session with panelists related to the production.

Northlight Theatre aspires to promote change of perspective and encourage compassion by exploring the depth of our humanity across a bold spectrum of theatrical experiences, reflecting our community to the world and the world to our community. 

Now entering its 43rd season, the organization has mounted over 200 productions, including nearly 40 world premieres. Northlight has earned 202 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 34 Awards. As one of the area’s premier theatre companies, Northlight is a regional magnet for critical and professional acclaim, as well as talent of the highest quality. 

Northlight is supported in part by generous contributions from Allstate Insurance; the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Robert & Isabelle Bass Foundation; BMO Harris Bank; Henrietta Lange Burk Fund; The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; The Chicago Community Trust; ComEd, An Exelon Company; The Davee Foundation; Edgerton Foundation for New American Plays Award; Evanston Community Foundation; Full Circle Foundation; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; Kirkland & Ellis Foundation; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Melvoin Award for Playwriting; Modestus Bauer Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; Niles Township; The Offield Family Foundation; The Pauls Foundation; Room & Board; Sanborn Family Foundation; Dr. Scholl Foundation; The Shubert Foundation, Inc.; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; The Sullivan Family Foundation; and Tom Stringer Design Partners.