Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:
THE GREEN BAY TREE
Mordaunt Shairp
directed by Amy Sarno
A charming young man is forced to choose between the love of his fiancée, the lifestyle of his male mentor, and the prescription of his upbringing. This is the infamous comedy of manipulation that, in 1933, made a leading Broadway star of Laurence Olivier, opposite his then-wife Jill Esmond. THE GREEN BAY TREE (1933) was a scandalous hit in the West End and on Broadway.
A torrid British drama of homosexual lust that premiered in London in 1933, starring Laurence Olivier. Through clever use of unspoken implications, THE GREEN BAY TREE avoided censorship from the Lord Chamberlain's office in an era when any depiction of gay love was banned from public performance.
Widely considered to be the first modern play to deal with homosexuality, THE GREEN BAY TREE suggests a same-sex attraction from Dulcimer toward Julian but does it so subtly that the text escaped censorship from the British government of the 1930’s – an era in which homosexuality was still illegal in Great Britain. THE GREEN BAY TREE – whose title refers to an Old Testament Bible verse from Psalms in which wickedness is said to spread “like a green bay tree” – was revived in London in 2014.
Left: Bradley Halverson, Kristen Alesia, Alexander McRae. Photo by David Zak.
The Pride Films and Plays production will be directed by Amy Sarno, whose stage credits include directing the world premieres of THE EXISTENTIAL GOURMET by Mindi Dickstein, THE DIVINE MISS DEA translated by Jack Street, CONCRETE DUALISM AND YOU by Juan Insua, and MEDEA (INCULTURATED) by Amy Sarno. Sarno is also the former Artistic Director of Erasing the Distance. It will play in The Buena, Pride Arts Center, in repertory with PINK ORCHIDS, through July 8.
Sarno’s cast will include Bradley Halverson as the young man, Julian. Halverson appeared as Czechowski in the extension of Pride Films and Plays’ YANK! and was previously in the cast of the Jeff award-winning musical of 2017, HIGH FIDELITY. His fiancée, Leonora, will be Kristen Alesia. Alexander McRae has been cast as Julian’s wealthy mentor, Dulcimer. Gary Smiley will play Julian’s father, Mr. Owen. Buzz Leer, seen most recently at Redtwist Theatre in OUR TOWN and I SAW MY NEIGHBOR ON THE TRAIN AND DIDN'T EVEN SMILE will play Dulcimer’s butler, Trump.
THE GREEN BAY TREE will open to the press in Wednesday, June 13, following previews on Monday, June 11 and Tuesday, June 12. It will run through July 8th, playing in repertory with PINK ORCHIDS, which will open on June 8 following previews on June 6 and 7.
The “PAC Pride Series” will continue with Joe DiPietro’s FUCKING MEN playing from July 1 – August 25, a world premiere, HURRICANE DAMAGE by Kevin Brofsky playing from August 1 - 26 and the American Premiere of HOLDING THE MAN, by Australian playwright Tommy Murphy, from August 5 – 26, 2018.
Tickets for all events are on sale now at www.pridefilmsandplays.com or by phone at 866-411-4111 or 773-857-0222
Mordaunt Shairp (playwright) was an English dramatist and screenwriter. Educated at St Paul's School, London, and Lincoln College, Oxford, he spent much of his life as a schoolmaster in London and wrote many plays for pupils to perform. His adult plays dealt with darker interpersonal relationships and included THE CRIME AT BLOSSOMS as well as THE GREEN BAY TREE. Shairp also spent a short spell in Hollywood as a screenwriter, including THE DARK ANGEL, which starred Frederic March, and THE WHITE ANGEL.
Amy Sarno (director) Amy Sarno’s stage credits include directing the world premieres of THE EXISTENTIAL GOURMET by Mindi Dickstein, THE DIVINE MISS DEA translated by Jack Street, CONCRETE DUALISM AND YOU by Juan Insua, and MEDEA (INCULTURATED) by Amy Sarno. Sarno received a Fulbright to create PLAN B, a verbatim play about domestic violence. Her verbatim play, IMPRINTS, was produced by Wisconsin’s New Court Theatre. Sarno is also the former Artistic Director of Erasing the Distance.
June 11 – July 8, 2018
Previews Mon. 6/11, Tues. 6/12 at 7:30 pm
Opening Weds. 6/13 at 7:30 pm
Beginning Sat. 6/16, Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 3 pm, Mondays and Wednesdays at 7:30 pm through July 8. Extra performance Thursday, July 5 at 7:30 pm. No shows Sunday, June 24 or Wednesday, July 4
Buena Theater
Pride Arts Center
4147 N Broadway
Chicago, IL 60613
Tickets: Previews $15, Regular Run: Premium seats $30, General Admission $25, Seniors/Students/Military $23
Tickets available at www.pridefilmsandplays.com or by phone at 866-811-4111 or 773-857-0222.
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 1.800.737.0984.
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. Guest productions are also included in the PAC schedule. Find a full calendar of everything happening at PAC here. http://pridefilmsandplays.com/calendar/
