Adventure Stage Chicago Presents WALK TWO MOONS

Adventure Stage Chicago kicks off its eighth season with Producing Artistic Director Tom Arvetis' world premiere stage adaptation of Sharon Creech's WALK TWO MOONS, directed by Matthew Reeder (Holes).

ABOUT THE PLAY
"Don't judge a man until you've walked two moons in his moccasins."

Thirteen-year-old Sal's mother left over a year ago. When her friend Phoebe's mom disappears, painful memories of Sal's own abandonment come to the surface. Determined to find Phoebe's mother, the girls begin seeing murderous plots and schemes around every corner. Sal shares these conspiracy theories with her Gram and Gramps during a cross-country trip to confront her mother. But it is only through the telling of her friend's tale that Sal ultimately realizes things-and people-are not always what they seem. Based on the Newbery Medal-winning novel by Sharon Creech, this play is recommended for ages 9 and up.

SPECIAL EVENT - MEET Sharon Creech
Sat., Nov. 5, 4-8pm
Newbery Award-winning author Sharon Creech will attend the opening performance of Adventure Stage's WALK TWO MOONS on Sat., Nov. 5 at 4pm and participate in a post-show Q&A and book signing. Books will be available for sale after the show by Lincoln Square bookstore The Book Cellar. The audience will also receive free ice cream from Lincoln Park's Dairy Queen/Orange Julius.

This very special event is open to all attendees of that day's WALK TWO MOONS performance at the regular ticket price. However, we strongly recommend purchasing tickets in advance, as this performance is sure to sell out quickly! (All patrons must have a valid WALK TWO MOONS ticket in order to attend the book signing.) For tickets, call 773-342-4141 or visit www.adventurestage.org.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Adventure Stage is adopting new performance dates and times this season! The new schedule is as follows:

Fridays at 7:30pm and Saturdays at 4:00pm & 7:30pm Nov. 5 - Dec. 3, 2011.
(No 7:30pm show on Nov. 5.)

We also have 10:30am weekday performances for school groups on the following dates:
Nov. 8, 15, 17, 22, 29, 30 & Dec. 1, 6, 7, 8.

Preview performances are at 10:30am Nov. 3 & 4.

TICKETS
Evening Performances: $20 adults, $15 kids 14 and under.
Matinee Performances: $17 adults, $12 kids 14 and under.

School Groups: $8 per student, with one complimentary chaperone ticket for every 10 students.
Public Groups: $11 for groups of 10 or more.

Previews: $10 ($7 for groups of 10 or more.)

Adventure Stage has switched to reserved seating this season, so advance ticket purchase secures patrons the best available seats in the theater. For tickets, call 773-342-4141 or visit www.adventurestage.org.

CAST AND CREW
WALK TWO MOONS cast is comprised of Tanya Chu McBride (Sal), Baize Buzan (Phoebe), Casey Cunningham (Sugar/Mrs. Winterbottom), Dani Bryant (Margaret/Nurse/Mary Lou), Millicent Hurley (Gram, Mrs. Partridge), Sandy Elias (Gramps, Sgt. Bickle), Michael Peters (Mr. Winterbottom/Doctor/Brother), Kyle Johnson (Ben/Lunatic/River Bank Boy), Joe Zarrow (Mr. Birkway/John/Sheriff) and Skyler Schrempp (Sal understudy).

WALK TWO MOONS production staff consists of Tom Arvetis (Playwright), Matthew Reeder (Director), Ellen Willett (Stage Manager), Morgan Gire (Asst. Stage Manager), Andrew Wheatley (Sound Design/Composition), Mikhail Fiksel (Sound Consultant/Addl Composition), Simon Lashford (Scenic Design), Lacy Campbell (Prop Design), Mike Durst (Lighting Design), Laura Kollar (Costume Design), Kyle Land (Technical Director) and Sarah Fornace (Movement Director).

BIOS
Tom Arvetis (Playwright) is the founder and Producing Artistic Director of Adventure Stage Chicago, where his directing credits include And A Child Shall Lead and the world premieres of The Blue House, Katrina: The Girl Who Wanted Her Name Back and I Dream In Blues, a "blues-ical" he co-wrote with Chicago blues veteran Katherine Davis that was called "the sleeper hit of the season" by the Chicago Tribune. Other playwriting credits include a stage adaptation of poet Kenneth Patchen's radio play The City Wears A Slouch Hat.

Matthew Reeder (Director) is the Artistic Director of BackStage Theater Company, where his directing credits include Aunt Dan & Lemon, The Play About The Baby, On An Average Day, and the critically acclaimed production of How I Learned To Drive. In addition to directing credits across Chicago, he has previously helmed the Adventure Stage productions of Holes, Still Life With Iris and The Shakespeare Stealer.

Sharon Creech (author) is a former high school English teacher and has written several novels for young adults, including Bloomability, Absolutely Normal Chaos, Chasing Redbird, Pleasing the Ghost, Love That Dog and Ruby Holler. Her novel The Wanderer was a Newbery Honor book in 2000, and Walk Two Moons was awarded the 1995 Newbery Medal, as well as the United Kingdom Reading Association Award, United Kingdom's Children's Book Award, Austria's Literaturhaus Award and the Young Adult Sequoyah Award.

ABOUT ADVENTURE STAGE
Adventure Stage Chicago creates dynamic and transformative theatre for young audiences that activates the imagination, inspires dialogue and strengthens community among families, educators and artists. We strive to become Chicago's premier destination for theatrical productions and programming designed for young people and the adults in their lives; we aim to be leaders in theatre education through professional development workshops, residencies and resources that offer innovative ways to infuse theatre into the classroom; and we seek to cultivate and create challenging new work as well as produce celebrated stories. This is Adventure Stage's eighth season.

Adventure Stage has received numerous honors since its inception in 2004, including:
· Selected participant in EmcArts' Innovation Lab for the Performing Arts, a program generously funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
· Zeta Phi Eta WiniFred Ward Award for Outstanding New Children's Theatre Company from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education
· Two-time Finalist for the Broadway In Chicago Emerging Theater Award
· Participant in the New Visions/New Voices Festival at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Washington D.C.
· Four-time Recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Access to Artistic Excellence Grant

Adventure Stage Chicago is a program of Northwestern University Settlement House, the oldest continually operating settlement house in Chicago. Throughout its 120-year history, the Settlement has remained committed to providing resources that empower our neighbors to overcome the obstacles of poverty. Adventure Stage extends this mission by presenting Chicago's young audiences, educators and families with an affordable artistic experience rooted in performance. Last season, Adventure Stage served over 5,000 students from 76 schools throughout the Chicagoland area and over 1,500 audience members for our weekend performances.

Each Adventure Stage Chicago production presents weekday matinees primarily for school groups, as well as weekend performances for the general public. Every performance includes a post-show audience talkback with the cast. Out of respect for our actors and audience members, children under age 5 are not permitted in the theatre during a performance.

All shows are performed at Vittum Theater, 1012 N. Noble St., in the heart of Chicago's West Town neighborhood. Street parking is available, and the theater is close to the Noble St. stop on the #56 Milwaukee bus line and the Division stop on the CTA Blue Line. The theater is wheelchair accessible.

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