Pursuit Productions & CDF to Present THEM from Ahmad Simmons

Pursuit Productions, with support from the Chicago Dancemakers Forum, will present the premiere of THEM, a new work of dance-theater made in collaboration by choreographer Ahmad Simmons and director Kacie Smith. Performances will be held July 10-26 at the Preston Bradley Center in Chicago's Uptown, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 7pm. There is no performance scheduled for Friday, July 17.

THEM is an exploration in dance-theater of fear, discrimination and violence that result from self-categorization and "othering" within communities. Running 75 minutes in length and featuring seven accomplished Chicago performers, THEM explores external stereotypes, and self-segregation by class, race, religion, political affiliation, gender and sexual orientation. The devising process led by Simmons and Smith to create THEM sought to answer the question of how to see a community as one body, despite the different and sometimes oppositional experiences and perspectives of its members.

The premiere cast of THEM by Pursuit Productions includes Marco Clemente, Caitlin Cucchiara, David Ingram, Rebecca McLindon, Alexis Staley, and Malachi Squires.

Visual artist Ennis Martin, a lifelong resident of Chicago, created a series of paintings for THEM, animated by Radek Michalik to be projected as the work's scenic design.

The Preston Bradley Center, located at 941 West Lawrence Avenue in Chicago, is easily accessible via the CTA Red Line (exit the Lawrence station) or the CTA's number 36 Broadway, 78 Montrose, 81 Lawrence, 151 Sheridan, and 148 Clarendon / Michigan Express buses. Local street parking is also available.

For further information, to request tickets for review coverage of the opening-night performance on July 10, or to coordinate rehearsal observation and interviews, contact Victoria Bradford at 337-794-8222, victoria@chicagodancemakers.org and/or Zachary Whittenburg at 312-850-9744 ext. 136, zwhittenburg@hubbardstreetdance.com.

The premiere of THEM from Pursuit Productions is supported by a 2014 Chicago Dancemakers Forum Lab Artist Award for Ahmad Simmons, an Individual Artist Program Grant from the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and a sponsorship from Chicago arts service organization High Concept Labs.