BrightSide Theatre Announces Upcoming Season

Artistic Director Jeffrey Cass and Executive Director Julie Ann Kornak have announced BrightSide Theatre's 3rdSeason - 2013-2014 - "Life, Love & Laughter" - Moonlight and Magnolias, Bleacher Bums, and Cabaret. "These three pieces of theatre entertain the audience as we look at life through the lens of love and laughter," explains Executive Director Julie Ann Kornak. "From the love of the movies, to the love of the game, to those who love inside the cabaret, we hope you will join us for our 3rd season and share in the love and laughter that surround these characters' lives."

The season begins this August with Ron Hutchinson's uproariously hilarious comedy Moonlight and Magnolias,directed by Chicago Theatre Veteran Greg Kolack. For the movie lover in us all, Moonlight and Magnolias gives us a true-to-life, laughter-filled behind-the-scenes glimpse of how Gone With The Wind made its way to the silver screen. Legendary film producer David O. Selznick, who is five weeks into shooting Gone With The Wind, realizes the script is awful and the director doesn't have a clue. With just five days to replace them, rewrite the screenplay and restart the shoot or the production shuts down, Selznick calls Victor Fleming from the set of The Wizard to Oz to direct, and taps legendary playwright, screenwriter and "script doctor" Ben Hecht to rewrite the script. There's only one problem - Hecht hasn't read the book. Over the course of five madcap days locked in an office with only peanuts and bananas for food, the three men frantically craft one of the most beloved screenplays of all time. Director Greg Kolack says, "As a lifelong film admirer, I look forward to relaying the story of how the men behind this American movie classic salvaged the production and set the stage for one of the most famous films ever made, told with a lot of humor - and with some not so subtle jabs at the film industry itself." Moonlight and Magnolias plays August 30 - September 15, 2013 - Fridays/Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.

Our 2013/2014 Season continues in March with Greg Kolack directing Bleacher Bums, conceived by Chicago's very own John Mantegna and created as a group improvisation by The Organic Theater Company. This light and fun 9-inning slice of life comedy takes place in the bleachers of Wrigley Field as a group of colorful and devoted fans watch their beloved Chicago Cubs play their dreaded rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals. While the Chicago Cubshave not been in a World Series in over 60 years, let alone won one in over a century, Chicago Cub fans share an unconditional love and are, without a doubt, the most loyal and optimistic. Every April the fans exclaim, "this is the year." And every September they vow to "wait till next year." Director Greg Kolack describes the Wrigley Field Bleachers as "a place where the true Cub fans gather. They are a group of people of all ages and from all walks of life that have only one thing in common - the Cubs. They become a family for just a few hours. I know these people well - I am one of them and have spent more afternoons than I can remember in those bleachers." Bleacher Bumsplays March 20-30, 2014, Thursdays/Fridays/Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.

Also in March we will proudly produce our second year of the BrightSide Theatre Youth Project. BrightSide Theatre is guided by the belief that involvement in arts programs increases the development in children on both an academic and social scale while building self-esteem. We designed The 2013/14

BrightSide Theatre Youth Project to provide a professional and educational learning experience for

grade school to high school students aged 8-18 interested in exploring musical theater. In this program, children work directly with professional directors, musical directors, choreographers, designers, and

artists to develop their own theatrical skills. (Our staff has/currently works with professional theatres including, Paramount Arts Center, First Folio, Chicago Shakespeare, Broadway in Chicago, Drury Lane

Oak Brook.) After last season's successful Disney's Alice in Wonderland, we are happy to announce that this year'sBrightSide Theatre Youth Project's production will be Disney's The Little Mermaid, directed by Artistic Director,Jeffrey Cass. Performances will take place Saturday, March 22, 2014 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and Sunday, March 23, 2014 at 6 p.m.

In June of 2014 we conclude our season of Life, Love & Laughter with BrightSide Theatre's Artistic Director Jeffrey Cass' staging of the multi Tony and Olivier Award winning musical Cabaret with book by Joe Masteroff, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. "In here...Life is Beautiful" Inside the Kit Kat Klub, Sally Bowles and the beguiling Emcee live in a sexy, laughter filled world of overindulgent vices of distraction, while outside, the gathering storm of Nazi oppression grows and threatens the already fragile lives and loves of those inside the club. Director Jeffrey Cass says "I find the time period of 1930's Berlin so fascinatingly similar to today more than one might think. As we are drawn into the lives of these characters and their relationships we see glimpses our current society and how we choose to view each other by class, race, religion, political views and love. Cabaret beautifully wraps it up in laughter in some of musical theatre's most memorable musical numbers and characters." Cabaret plays June 13 - June 29, 2014, Fridays/Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.

Affordable tickets starting at $18 are available for BrightSide Theater's 2013-2014 Season, providing opportunities for Season Subscribers, Groups and Individuals to enjoy our season of Life, Love & Laughter as only BrightSide Theatrecan produce. For more information on purchasing tickets, visit us at www.BrightSideTheatre.com or call the Box Office at 630-637-SHOW (7469).

WHERE: Downtown Historic Naperville at the Theatre at Meiley- Swallow Hall at North Central College, 31 S. Ellsworth Ave., Naperville, IL 60540

BIOS: Jeffrey Cass (Artistic Director) directed BrightSide Theatre's inaugural production - Run For Your Wife and in the 2nd season, he has directed Company, the inaugural production of the BrightSide Theatre Youth Project - Alice in Wonderland and is currently directing Rent. He holds a B.F.A. in Musical Theater Performance from Roosevelt University where he also studied lighting design and stage management. He previously served as the Producing Director for Circle Theatre where he was a company member for 4 years. Directing Credits include:The Who's Tommy (6 Joseph Jefferson Nominations including Best Musical and Best Director) Bash and The Distance From Here (Midwest Premier) by Neil LaBute, Burning Blue (Midwest Premier), Crazy for You, Beauty and the Beast, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Urinetown, Peter Pan and New Plays Festival 2 and 3 at Circle Theatre.

Greg Kolack (Director) a 37 year veteran of Chicago Theatre, most recently directed Sylvia at Theatre of Western Springs, where he also directed Black Comedy and Proof. Last year he directed the acclaimed rep productions ofThe Laramie Project and the Chicago Premiere of The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later at Redtwist Theatre. He received his 3rd Jeff Award for Direction for his critically acclaimed production of columbinus at Raven Theatre, chosen by several critics as one of the best shows of the year. Other productions include The Exonerated(Raven), The Odd Couple (Drury Lane), Tim Robbins' Embedded (Prop Thtr), Patient A (Far West), Doubt(Redtwist), Man of LaMancha and Nunsense (Clock Tower), Of Mice And Men (Alchemy Theatre), The Fantasticks(Shady Lane),the world premieres of All Through The Night by Shirley Lauro (Chicago Jewish) and Hitman: The Hack Wilson Story (Bailiwick), and numerous children's shows and university productions. For 7 years he served as Co-Artistic Director of Circle Theatre, where he directed the world premiere of Rebecca Gilman's The Crime Of The Century (which he also conceived), A Piece Of My Heart, The Credeaux Canvas, Salome, and Never In My Lifetime, among others. He also produced Circle's appearance with Russell Crowe's band at The House Of Blues. Greg has also been appearing on Chicago stages as an actor for almost 3 decades, most recently in The Sign Of The Four at City Lit. In another vein, he has been the General Manager of the Apollo Chorus of Chicago since 2006.

MISSION: BrightSide Theatre is committed to Enlighten, Educate, and Entertain through comedies and inspirational stories from across the globe. A unique blend of award-winners, premieres, modern works and timeless classics meant to reflect upon and inform our community will inhabit BrightSide's stage.

INFO: BrightSide Theatre, 630-447-8497

info@BrightSideTheatre.com www.BrightSideTheatre.com

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