Cast Announced for First Floor Theater's AMERICAN HERO

Fresh off their sold-out production of PEERLESS, First Floor Theater will conclude their fifth season with the Chicago premiere of Bess Wohl's AMERICAN HERO, directed by Cody Estle. AMERICAN HERO will play May 8 - June 3, 2017 at The Den Theatre, 1333 N Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago.

The cast will feature Chris Daley, Brian McKnight, Annie Prichard and Saraí Rodriguez.

At a toasted subs franchise in the local mall, three up-and-coming "sandwich artists"-a teenager, a single mom, and a downsized refugee from corporate banking-are perfecting the mustard-to-cheese ratio according to the company manual. But when their shot at the American dream is interrupted by a series of strange events, they become unlikely allies in a post-recession world. AMERICAN HERO is a supersized dark comedy about life, liberty and the pursuit of sandwiches.

The production team for AMERICAN HERO includes Jeffrey D. Kmiec (Scenic Design), Aaron Lorenz (Lighting Design), Eric Backus (Sound Design), Sarah Jo White (Costume Design), Claire Stone (Props Design), Stephen Johnson (Dramaturg), Jennifer Sloan (Assistant Director), Sam Hubbard (Fight Choreography), Cole von Glahn (Production Manager) and Neill Kelly (Stage Manager).

Tickets are on sale now at firstfloortheater.com. The press opening is Wednesday, May 10 at 7:30pm.

IF YOU GO:

AMERICAN HERO

Playwright: Bess Wohl

Director: Cody Estle

Cast: Chris Daley (Ted), Brian McKnight (Bob), Annie Prichard (Jamie) and Saraí Rodriguez (Sheri).

Location: The Den Theatre, 1333 N Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago

Dates: Previews: Monday, May 8 and Tuesday, May 9 at 7:30pm

Press Performance: Wednesday, May 10 at 7:30pm

Regular Run: Friday, May 12 - Saturday, June 3, 2017

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm; Sundays at 3pm. Note: There will be three added performances: Monday 5/22 at 7:30pm, Monday 5/29 at 7:30pm. and Saturday 6/3 at 3pm.

Tickets: Previews: Pay What You Can. Regular Run: $10-20. Tickets are on sale now at firstfloortheater.com.

Bess Wohl (Playwright) Bess Wohl's plays include SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS, AMERICAN HERO, BARCELONA and TOUCHED. They have been produced or developed at theaters in New York and around the country, including Second Stage, Ars Nova, The Williamstown Theatre Festival, People's Light and Theatre Company, Center Theatre Group, The Contemporary American Theater Festival, Vineyard Arts Project, The Pioneer Theatre, The Pittsburgh Public Theater, The Northlight Theater, TheaterWorks New Works Festival, The Geffen Playhouse, The Vineyard Arts Project, Ojai Playwright's Conference, the Cape Cod Theatre Project and the New York International Fringe Festival (award for Best Overall Production).She has also developed original television pilots for HBO, USA, FOX and the CW. Her work has been supported by a MacDowell Fellowship, PlayPenn, the Sewanee Writer's Conference and Ars Nova. She is a graduate of Harvard. She earned her MFA from the Yale School of Drama.

Cody Estle (Director) Cody Estle is a Chicago-based freelance director. Directing credits include By The Water at Northlight Theatre; The Assembled Parties, A Loss of Roses, Dividing the Estate, Vieux Carré, (named by CHICAGO TRIBUNE as one of the Year's Best in 2014), Good Boys and True, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Boy Gets Girl and Dating Walter Dante at Raven Theatre; The Seagull and Watch on the Rhine at The Artistic Home; Don't Go Gentle at Haven Theatre; Uncle Bob at Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company and Hospitality Suite at Citadel Theatre. He's had the pleasure of assistant directing at Steppenwolf Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Goodspeed Musicals, Court Theatre, Writers Theatre, Next Theatre and Strawdog Theatre. Estle is the Associate Artistic Director at Raven Theatre and a graduate of Columbia College Chicago.

First Floor Theater stages stories of individuals facing moments of radical change. Through a process of collaborative dramaturgy, FFT expands these stories to ask urgent social questions. FFT was named the "Best New Theater Company" in the Chicago Reader's Best of 2013 Reader's Pick edition. First Floor Theater is a Resident Company at The Den Theatre.

For more information on First Floor Theater, visit firstfloortheater.com.

Pictured: The cast of First Floor Theater's Chicago premiere of AMERICAN HERO (clockwise from top left) Chris Daley, Annie Prichard, Saraí Rodriguez and Brian McKnight.

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