Bailiwick Chicago Presents VIOLET, 9/16-10/16

Bailiwick Chicago's upcoming production of the award-winning off-Broadway hit "Violet," a powerful and heartwarming story of a vulnerable young woman's challenges, loves and emotional journey, will now be staged September 16 - October 16 at the Mercury Theater, 3745 North Southport Avenue. With a score by Jeanine Tesori ("Caroline or Change" "Thoroughly Modern Millie") and book and lyrics by Brian Crawley, "Violet" is directed by Bailiwick Artistic Advisor Elizabeth Margolius. The press night is Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m.

"We could not be more thrilled to move this powerful and inspiring show to a venue where it can be enjoyed by an even larger audience," said Artistic Director Kevin Mayes. "We are grateful to Walter Stearns for opening the doors of the beautiful Mercury Theater to us - it could not be more ideal for this production."

Based on the short story "The Ugliest Pilgrim" by Doris Betts, "Violet" is set against the backdrop of the 1960s Civil Rights movement. The musical follows the growth and enlightenment of a bitter young woman hideously scarred by her father during a wood cutting accident. In hopes that a TV evangelist can cure her, she embarks on a journey by bus from her sleepy North Carolina town to Oklahoma. Along the way, she meets a young black soldier who teaches her about beauty, love, courage and what it means to be an outsider.

The score for "Violet" has a lively bluegrass feeling, with occasional dashes of gospel, rock, country and R&B, reflecting the journey that Violet and her travel companions make from North Carolina across the South. "Violet" was awarded the Drama Critics' Circle Award and Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical upon its debut at Playwright's Horizon's.

One of the most acclaimed off-Broadway shows of the '90s, "Violet" was hailed as having "the most powerful score of any musical in years" by Howard Kissel of the Daily News. The Seattle Times described it as having "A genuine sincerity and sweetness that can pierce through one's skepticism...[‘Violet' is] blessed with some lovely indigenous music...a smart amalgam of country, church and blues." Clive Barnes of the New York Post declared, "Here is a truly charming and meaningful new American musical."

"'Violet' is a story about healing and learning how to love oneself," explains Stage Director Elizabeth Margolius. "These are provocative and deeply empathetic characters who learn the power of forgiveness and the tenacity to battle obstacles that are beyond their control."

The stellar cast includes Joseph Jefferson Award winners John Leen and Courtney Crouse; Joseph Jefferson Award nominees Danni Smith and Nancy Kolton; Bailiwick Chicago Collective Member Harmony France; and Jim DeSelm, Ryan Gaffney, Glynis Gilio, Elizabeth Gray, Kevin Grubb and Evan Tyrone Martin.

The creative team includes: Elizabeth Margolius (Director); Andra Velis Simon (Music Director); Andrew Waters (Choreography); Robert Ollis (Orchestrations); Kate Garassino (Producer); Christopher Pazdernik (Associate Producer); Andrew Waters (Musical Staging); Bill Morey (Costume Designer); John Zuiker (Set Designer); and Julian Pike (Lighting Designer).

Elizabeth Margolius is a stage director with a primary focus in the development and direction of new works of musical theatre and opera. She has worked with many theatres throughout the country including the Virginia Shakespeare Festival, Florida Studio Theatre and the Santa Fe Opera. Chicago directorial credits include work with Live Bait Theater, Stage Left Theatre ("Whirlybirds"), Theatre Building Chicago (Artistic Associate), Bohemian Theatre Ensemble ("Songs for a New World," "Bernarda Alba: The Musical"), Silk Road Theatre Project ("Broadway Sings the Silk Road"), Steel Beam Theatre ("A Christmas Carol"), Bailiwick Chicago (the workshop of "Bloom") and the Center for Cultural Interchange (Chicago/Ibiza, Spain). Margolius is a 2007 recipient of a full directorial scholarship with the Wesley Balk Opera-Music Theater Institute in Minneapolis, a 2009 respondent and workshop artist for Kennedy Center's American College Theatre Festival, and a Chicago CityArts panelist. She is the co-founder and co-artistic director of DirectorsLabChicago, an international forum for emerging stage directors.

Andra Velis Simon is the Musical Director for the Theater Department at Columbia College Chicago, where she also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the musical theater department. As a musical director, vocal director, arranger and accompanist, Simon has had the pleasure of working with more than 50 Chicago arts organizations, including About Face, Chicago Children's Theatre, Chicago Opera Vanguard, City Lit, Defiant (RIP), Hell in a Handbag, The Hypocrites, Lifeline, Signal, Strawdog and Victory Gardens, among others.

Robert Ollis is one of the founding members of the Bailiwick Chicago Collective, where he served as Co-Music Director of Elton John's "Aida" last summer. Ollis recently served as Music Director for Victory Gardens Theatre's "Thoroughly Modern Millie," plus earlier Victory Gardens Theatre productions of "Anything Goes" and "Mame." Ollis received a non-equity Joseph Jefferson Award for his musical direction of "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and a nomination for "A Man of No Importance." In recent years, he has music-directed such shows as "My Favorite Year," "The Who's Tommy," Bailiwick Chicago's "Show Us Your Love" and Dennis DeYoung's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." On the cabaret scene, Ollis has accompanied Alexandra Billings at Feinstein's in NYC and has worked with singers Andrea Marcovicci, Danni Smith, Alanda Coon and Jeremy Rill.

Jeanine Tesori has written three Tony-nominated scores for Broadway: "Twelfth Night" (Lincoln Center), "Thoroughly Modern Millie" (lyrics, Dick Scanlan) and "Caroline, or Change" (lyrics, Tony Kushner; director, George C. Wolfe). She has won two Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Music in a Play for Nicholas Hytner's production of "Twelfth Night" and Outstanding Music for "Caroline, or Change." In 1997, her composition for the score of "Violet" won her an Obie Award, the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, and the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical. Tesori has composed music for the films "Nights in Rodanthe," "The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond," "The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning," "Shrek the Third," "Mulan II" and "The Emperor's New Groove 2: Kronk's New Groove." Tesori's most recent stage project is "Shrek the Musical," which earned her both Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations for her music.

Brian Crawley won the Kleban Award for the book of "Violet," in addition to the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, and the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical. He wrote the book and lyrics for "A Little Princess" (composer Andrew Lippa) which debuted at Theatreworks of Palo Alto in the summer of 2004. Brian's plays have been developed or staged at Lincoln Center, New York Theater Workshop, and the Eugene O'Neill summer theater conference. He is at work on a commission for a play about jazz performer Valaida Snow, and a new musical "Down There" with composer Lewis Flinn. He majored in Theater Studies at Yale and got an MFA in Acting from the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. Brian is a member of the Dramatists Guild.

Performance Schedule and Ticket Information

The performance schedule is as follows: Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Previews on September 16-18, 2011 and Opening Night Tuesday September 20, 2011. Shows will run through October 16, 2011. All performances will take place at the Mercury Theater, 3745 N. Southport Ave., Chicago, IL, 60640.

Tickets are priced at $18 for preview performances and $27.50-$32.50 for all other performances. For tickets call 773-325-1700 or visit www.bailiwickchicago.com.

Upcoming Productions

The venue for Bailiwick Chicago and Teatro Luna's upcoming production of "The North/South Plays" will be announced at a future date.

About Bailiwick Chicago

Bailiwick Chicago is a New Theatre Company that was formed by a group of dedicated actors, directors, and production professionals after Bailiwick Repertory Theater closed its doors in September 2009. This group, which is called the "Collective", is the artistic ensemble responsible for the artistic mission and vision of the company. Bailiwick Chicago portrays stories that stimulate the audience and celebrates diverse communities, enhancing an understanding of others.