DePaul University to Stage Two World Premiere Productions

New work will take center stage this spring, as The Theatre School at DePaul University offers two world premiere productions in Lincoln Park to conclude the conservatory's 2014-15 season. Chicago playwright Laura Jacqmin's We're Going to Be Fine will feature the Master of Fine Arts in Acting candidates in the Class of 2015, and Theatre School student Jared Hecht (BFA Playwriting, Class of 2015) will debut his play Video Galaxy.

We're Going to Be Fine by Laura Jacqmin will open on May 15 in The Sondra & Denis Healy Theatre, and will run through May 24, 2015. Previews performances will be held on 5/13 and 5/14 at 7:30 PM. This world-premiere play is directed by Dexter Bullard. For patrons who are blind or have low-vision, the performance on 5/22 (7:30 PM) will be audio described with a pre-performance touch tour. Post-show discussions will occur on 5/17 and 5/21.

About the play: When mass plague breaks out in Chicago, unskilled office worker Bidi can't afford to stop calling into her employment agency. As the civilian population gets increasingly fractious, frightened, and freaky, who will they decide is to blame? We're Going to Be Fine is a paranoid dark comedy that asks: what if you had to keep temping during the apocalypse?

The cast of We're Going to Be Fine features the Class of 2015 Master of Fine Arts in Acting candidates: Zachary DiNardi, Jason Goff, Laura Harrison, Abie Irabor, Casey Morris, Shadana Patterson, Jeremy Pfaff, Brian Rife, and Vahista Vafadari. The production team includes Laura Jacqmin (Playwright), Dexter Bullard (Director), Claire Diviot (Scenic Designer), Lara Hall (Costume Designer), Chris Binder (Lighting Designer and Head of BFA Lighting Design for The Theatre School), Connor Wang (Sound Designer), Kathleen Hemingway and Jihye Kim (Dramaturgs), and Jackson Walsh (Stage Manager).

Video Galaxy asks what faith means when you're young and directionless, written by Theatre School student Jared Hecht (BFA Playwriting, Class of 2015) and directed by John Jenkins. The world premiere production will debut on May 22 in the Fullerton Stage Theatre, and will run through May 30, 2015. Previews performances will be held on 5/20 and 5/21 at 7:30 PM. The performance on 5/30 will feature a live audio description for patrons who are blind or have low vision, as well as a pre-performance touch tour. The performance on 5/30 will also be interpreted in American Sign Language. TTY: (773) 325-7975. An Opening Night Reception will be held following the performance on 5/22. 5/27 is USO of Illinois Night - visit www.tixfortroops.org. The performances on 5/24 and 5/28 will be followed by a post-show discussion.

About the play: After a traumatic head injury, Sarah Hermes may be the world's next messiah. Her father, a pastor, couldn't be more proud. Eli, her slacker brother who works at a video store, watches her fall into a stardom he's always desired. As Sarah gains notoriety, Eli must overcome his lack of ambition. Will he expose Sarah for who she truly is, or will divine intervention chart the course?

The cast of Video Galaxy features Taylor Blim, Audrey Gladson, Charles Johnston, Samuel Kotansky, and Harrison Weger. The production team includes Jared Hecht (Playwright), John Jenkins (Director), Jake Ives (Scenic Designer), Nicole Foster (Costume Designer), Jamie Davis (Lighting Designer), Rachel Regan (Sound Designer), Benjamin Falk (Dramatrug), and Abbie Betts (Stage Manager).

Performances for both We're Going to Be Fine and Video Galaxy will be Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM. Tickets to both productions are $15, preview tickets are $10, and student tickets are always $5. Subscriptions and group rates (6 or more people) are available. All tickets are reserved seating. Tickets are available by calling (773) 325-7900 or visiting the online box office at http://theatre.depaul.edu.

The Fullerton Stage Theatre and the Sondra & Denis Healy Theatre are located within The Theatre School at DePaul University, 2350 N Racine Ave (at Fullerton). The school is easily accessible via the Fullerton CTA Station and the Fullerton (74) bus. Visitors and audience members can park in DePaul University's Clifton Parking Deck, located at 2330 N Clifton Avenue. Please call the Box Office for more information or for help in planning your trip.