Cast Announced for Intimate, Woman-Centric Production of Pinter's BETRAYAL

Michael Menendian, Producing Artistic Director of Raven Theatre, has announced casting for the company's upcoming production of Betrayal, by Harold Pinter. The production will be directed by Lauren Shouse, formerly an artistic associate at Nashville Rep where she directedRapture, Blister, Burn; Superior Donuts; and A Christmas Story. Shouse holds an MFA in directing from Northwestern University, where she has directed In The Next Room or the Vibrator Play and Eurydice. As an assistant director, she has worked with Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, and Northlight Theatre, and is currently literary manager at Northlight Theatre.

Appearing in the Pinter classic, which concerns the nine-year affair between a London literary agent and the wife of his publisher best friend, will be Abigail Boucher (Emma), Keith Neagle (Robert), Sam Guinan-Nyhart (Jerry), and in a cameo role as the waiter, Richard Cotovsky, founder and Artistic Director of the Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company. Boucher, an emeritus member of the Strawdog Theatre Company, has recently won praise for Raven's A Loss of Roses and Profiles Theatre's The Cryptogram. Neagle, who will play Boucher's stage husband Robert, has been busy in several high-profile ChicaGo Productions of the past year, including You Can't Take It with You (Northlight) and Richard III (The Gift). Sam Guinan-Nyhart, playing the friend with whom Boucher's Emma has the affair, last year appeared in Griffin Theatre's acclaimed Pocatello, Cor Theatre's Love and Human Remains and Strawdog's The Sweeter Option.

While Betrayal is a well-known play and one of Pinter's most accessible works, it has not received a major production in Chicago since Steppenwolf's staging directed by Rick Snyder nearly 10 years ago. Shouse says she was attracted to the project for reasons beyond her love of the text. "I think there's a unique and almost unprecedented opportunity to tell this story from a woman's perspective," Shouse explains. "Betrayal's major productions have, to my knowledge, mostly been directed by men - from its world premiere in London and Broadway premiere both directed by Peter Hall, the Broadway revivals directed by David Leveaux and Mike Nichols and even the film version directed by David Jones. I think this is surprising given that Emma, the sole woman in the piece, is the character who grows the most and has the most to lose. Together with my mostly-female design team, we're anxious to tell the story from Emma's point of view. Additionally, the intimacy of Raven's West Stage will add an extra dimension as well, giving the audience a sensation of eavesdropping on the characters and even being present in the room where secrets are both kept and revealed."

Shouse's design team includes Lauren Nigri (scenic design), Becca Jeffords (lighting design), Stephanie Cluggish (costume design), Kevin O'Donnell (sound design), Clara Wendland (properties design), and Eileen Rozycki (scenic artist). The production team also includes Shannon Golden (stage manager), AJ Roy (assistant director), Leni Morales (assistant stage manager), Diane D. Fairchild and Marissa Geocaris (master electricians) and Aram Monisoff (dialect coach).

A thoughtful, rich play about a common theme of human existence - the difficulty in maintaining honest relationships with those close to us - Betrayal is known for its unique structure, it tells the story backwards in time, with the play beginning at the end of the affair and ending as the affair is about to begin. Betrayal has been produced three times on Broadway. Its most recent revival was in 2013-14 and was the last Broadway play directed by Mike Nichols. The 1983 film version starred Jeremy Irons, Ben Kingsley and Patricia Hodge.

Betrayal

By Harold Pinter

Directed by Lauren Shouse

West Stage

Previews: Wednesday, October 26 through Saturday, October 29 at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday, October 30 at 3:30 p.m. Preview prices are $32.00 ($29.00 online), and $22 ($21 online) for students, active military and veterans.

Opening Nights: Monday, October 31 and Tuesday, November 1, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.

Performances continue through December 17, 2016

Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:30 p.m.beginning Friday, November 4, 2016 (no shows Thursday, November 3, 2016 or Thursday November 24, 2016). Saturday matinees at 3:30 pm fromNovember 12 through December 17, 2016.

Tickets: $46.00 ($43.00 if purchased online), Seniors $41.00 ($38.00 if purchased online), Teachers $41.00 ($38.00 if purchased online), students/active military and veterans $22.00 ($21.00 if purchased online).Groups of 10 or more are $29 per person for Thursday and Fridayperformances and $33 per person for Saturday and Sunday performances. Student groups are $15.00 per person for groups of 10 or more forThursday and Friday performances.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.raventheatre.com or by phone at773-338-2177.