BrightSide Theatre Presents COMPANY, RENT, et al. for 2012-2013 Season

The new BrightSide Theatre was just recently started and affirmed by theatergoers of Naperville, IL and its surrounding suburbs. With the success of our inaugural season, Artistic Director Jeffrey Cass and Executive Director Julie Ann Kornak announce BrightSide Theatre's 2012-2013 Season "Modern Masterpieces" - COMPANY, GOD OF CARNAGE, and RENT. These three Modern Masterpieces combined have earned a total of 13 Tony Awards, 13 Drama Desk Awards, 4 Olivier Awards and 1 Pulitzer Prize. Julie explained, "I am thrilled BrightSide Theatre has selected these 3 productions for our second season. Each show has characters that everyone can relate to as they face day-to-day life - trying to meet their own and others' expectations. It is within these relationships and the situations where both the comedy and the inspiration begin. From the funny and sophisticated exploration of love and commitment in Company, to the childish adults of God of Carnage, to the young artists/bohemians trying to figure out life and love in Rent, we look forward to our audience joining us on this journey."

The season begins this October with Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's Tony Award winning musical masterpiece Company, directed by Artistic Director Jeffrey Cass and Musically Directed by Justin Potter. Rebelling against musical theater's traditional oversimplification of the human condition, COMPANY is piece of theater about the real world. Groundbreaking for its time, and as relevant today as ever, COMPANY focuses on Robert, a 35 year old bachelor and the insight he gains from his poignant, funny, recognizable married friends about commitment. Jeff says, "For over five years now I've been waiting to find the right time and place to direct Company and I'm so excited to bring this production to our audience. I'm fascinated by the central character of Robert. As much as he thinks he's content with his situation in life, he cannot fight the innate need for companionship. It intrigues me how we live in a world where we are so connected and think we know who we are and what we want, but no matter what, we cannot escape the elemental need to find someone to love us and for us to love them."

The 2012/2013 Season continues in March with a Tony Award-winning script that goes for every kind of laugh in the book. The fast, furious and very, very funny GOD OF CARNAGE by Yasmina Reza, will be directed by Derek Bertelsen. GOD OF CARNAGE is the story that answers the question of what happens when two sets of parents meet up to deal with the unruly behavior of their children. A calm and rational debate between grown-ups about the need to teach kids how to behave properly? or A hysterical night of name-calling, tantrums and tears before bedtime? Director Derek Bertelsen sees God of Carnage as a modern masterpiece, "because it gets at the core of the human emotion like all great dramas do. But, unlike the classics like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof or Death of a Salesman, we get to see modern day characters onstage that we can all relate to. And they unleash their emotions onstage like you've never seen before. It's a comedy of manners, without the manners. I think audiences will love this show because the characters get to do things onstage that most of us would never imagine doing. It's a very fun and exciting show and I can't wait to bring it to the BrightSide stage!"

In June of 2013 we conclude our season of "Modern Masterpieces" with a musical that shook up the modern musical as we know it with Jonathon Larson's Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning rock opera Rent. It will be directed by Artistic Director Jeffrey Cass and Musically Directed by Justin Potter. Based on Puccini's La Boheme, Rent tells the story of one year in the life of a group of friends who are impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in the New York City's Lower East Side in the thriving days of Bohemian Alphabet City, 1989-1990. The story centers on Mark and Roger, two roommates. While a former tragedy has made Roger numb to life, Mark tries to capture it through his attempts to make a film. In the year that follows, the group deals with love, loss, AIDS, and modern day life in one truly powerful story. It shows how much can change or doesn't change in the 525,600 minutes that make up a year. Director Jeffrey Cass thinks, "the core message of Rent – Unconditional Love and Acceptance - is what has kept this show relevant and running on and off Broadway for over 18 years. 'There's no day but today' to bring this landmark musical to the heart of downtown Naperville and onto our stage to feel how the strength, power and impact of love measures in our lives in this modern world."

Affordable tickets starting at $18 are available for BrightSide Theater's 2012-2013 Season, providing opportunities for Season Subscriptions, Groups and Individuals to enjoy these Modern Masterpieces as only BrightSide Theatre can produce. For more information on purchasing tickets, visit us at www.BrightSideTheatre.com or call the Box Office at 630-637-SHOW (7469).

Performances take place at downtown Historic Naperville at the Theatre at Meiley-Swallow Hall, North Central College, 31 S. Ellsworth, Naperville, IL 60540 – at the corner of Ellsworth and Van Buren with the entrance on Van Buren. Free ample street and lot parking is available around North Central College. Please observe all municipal street signs.