DISTRACTED Makes Chicago Premiere At American Theatre Co 1/28/2010

American Theater Company (ATC) continues its 25th anniversary season with the Chicago premiere of Distracted, written by Lisa Loomer. The production is directed by Artistic Director PJ Paparelli and will run January 28 - February 28, 2010 at American Theater Company, 1909 W. Byron Street, Chicago. Press Opening is to be determined.

America. Today. When Mom and Dad's problems with Junior escalate, the advice from the world around them is to medicate. Does Jesse have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or is he just a kid growing up in an A.D.H.D. world? From the co-writer of Girl, Interrupted, this fast-paced theatrical comedy explores the challenges of modern parenting in suburban America.

"Distracted continues to examine an important question I explored in developing columbinus: ‘how do we raise children in a technologically advanced world?'" states Paparelli. "Distracted illuminates the adult perspective and sheds light on the adjustments we need to make in order to develop healthy children. I'm thrilled to have Lisa Loomer join us as we share this extraordinary piece of theatre with Chicago."

Lisa Loomer will be in residence with ATC throughout the rehearsal process, working with Paparelli on the play and other artistic aspects of the production.

ATC welcomes back to Chicago Kate Goehring to play the role of Mama. Distracted will also feature Steppenwolf Ensemble member Alan Wilder as Dr. Broder, Dr. Jinks and Dr. Karnes, Noah Schwartz as Jesse, Hanna Dworkin as Sherry, Audrey Morgan as Mrs. Holly, Dr. Woller and Nurse, Dina Facklis as Vera, Minita Gandhi as Dr. Zavala and others, and ATC Ensemble member Sadieh Rifai as Natalie.

The designers are Andre LaSalle (Set Designer), Jesse Klug (Lighting Designer), Lindsay Jones (Sound Designer), Mike Tutaj (Video Designer), Janice Pytel (Costume Designer), and Katie Klemme (Stage Manager).

Kate Goehring (Mama) National Tour: Harper in Michael Mayer's production of Angels in America (LA Pride Award and Miama Carbonel Awards, Joseph Jefferson Nomination). Other credits: Carrie: A Period
Piece (PS:122); Heartbreak House (Intiman); Orpheus Descending (Arena Stage); How I Learned to Drive, The Clean House (Arizona Theatre Company); world premieres of Tony Kushner's Slavs! (Actors Theatre of Louisville), and Emily Mann's adaptation of The Cherry Orchard (McCarter Theatre); The Rover, Dancing at Lughnasa (Goodman Theatre); The Glass Menagerie, Mrs. Warren's Profession (Huntington Theatre); Collected Stories (A Contemporary Theatre, Seattle Footlights Award); The Syringa Tree, Saint Joan, Machinal (Kansas City Repertory), Measure for Measure (Court Theatre), Laughing Wild (Bailiwick - After Dark Award, Joseph Jefferson Citation). Some Film/Television: Swimmers with Cherry Jones; Gossip Girl; Stella (Comedy Central), and co-stars on ER, The Untouchables, Law & Order (SVU, CI, and Mother Ship).

Alan Wilder (Dr. Broder, Dr. Jinks, Dr. Karnes and the Actor with ADD) was most recently seen in ATC's production of It's a Wonderful Life, The Radio Play. As an ensemble member of Steppenwolf Theatre Company since 1976, he has appeared in over 60 productions. At STC he was most recently seen in Fake, The Tempest, and The Seafarer. On screen, he was most recently seen in Public Enemies and Gifted Hands.

Hanna Dworkin (Sherry) was most recently seen as Rosemary in Writers' Theatre's production of Picnic, directed by David Cromer. Additional Chicago credits include Ghetto, Early and Often, The Living, Remembrance, Mann Ist Mann, Pride's Crossing, Hellcab (Famous Door), Humble Boy (Remy Bumppo), Mornings at Seven (Drury Lane), Pulp (About Face), The Laramie Project (Next Theatre), ‘Tis Pity She's a Whore, Saturday Stories (A Red Orchid), Refuge (Plasticene). Regional credits include A...My Name is Alice (Madison Repertory), The Red Shoes, The Clown of God, The Cookie Jar (Minneapolis Children's Theatre Company). Television credits include Cupid, Early Edition. Ms. Dworkin is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association.

Dina Facklis (Vera) For the past 13 years, Dina has devoted herself primarily to improvisation-- touring and then directing for The Second City National Touring Company as well as performing at iO Chicago with the groups Virgin Daiquiri and Stubs. Film credits for Dina include The Weather Man and this year's The Mole Man of Belmont Avenue.

Minita Gandhi (Dr. Zavala, Caroline and the Ditzy Waitress) Recent credits include Summer People at the Gift Theatre and Mary Zimmerman's The Arabian Nights at Lookingglass Theatre. She has also been seen as Viola in Piccolo Theatre's production of Twelfth Night, and will next be seen at Indiana Repertory Theatre in Around the World in 80 Days, and in the independent film, Parvati's Golden Skin. Minita's education includes the artistic internship at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, and she is a graduate of the PCPA acting conservatory.

Audrey Morgan (Mrs. Holly, Dr. Waller, Nurse and the UPS Gal) most recently appeared as a guest artist playing Lena Younger in A Raisin in the Sun at SIU in Carbondale, IL. She directed From the Mississippi Delta at eta theatre in Chicago. She has worked as an actress and a theatre instructor in the educational outreach programs for eta and Victory Gardens. For four years, she has directed programs for the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, Neighborhood Arts Program. Her Chicago acting credits include roles at Steppenwolf, Goodman, Victory Gardens, Piven and Pegasus Theatre.

SadiehRifai (Natalie) is an ATC Ensemble Member and was last seen as Yitzak in Hedwig and The Angry Inch. She also appeared in the 2008 production of It's a Wonderful Life: The Radio Play and Speech & Debate, which won her an After Dark Award for Outstanding Performance. Other Chicago credits include understudying the role of Johnna in August: Osage County (Steppenwolf Theatre) and the role of Noorani in Merchant on Venice (Silk Road Theatre). Sadieh is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf (2006).

Noah Jerome Schwartz (Jesse) In 2007 Noah was enrolled in the summer camp program run by the Apple Tree Theatre in Highland Park, Illinois, to remind him that there are other outlets besides sports. His first summer at Apple Tree landed him a starring role in their production of the Pirates of Lake Michigan. He was subsequently cast to play Fleance in the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's production of Macbeth. A role in the film Polish Bar starring Judd Hirsch and Richard Belzer (in post-production) was followed by a part in the Wizard of Oz National Tour at the Chicago Theatre. Starring in a commercial for Filbert's Soda along with a role in a commercial for the Big Ten and voice-over work has followed.

PJ Paparelli (Artistic Director/Director) Season 25 marks his third season as Artistic Director of American Theater Company. His ATC credits include Yeast Nation (the triumph of life), Hedwig and the Angry Inch with About Face; True West (African American and Caucasian casts) with Congo Square; and the regional premiere of Speech & Debate (Jeff Nomination; TimeOut Chicago & New City Stage's top 10 productions of 2007). He made New City's "Top 50 Most Influential Theatre Players in Chicago of 2008." This season he is co-writing a play with Maria Irene Fornes for ATC's Silver Project and has been commissioned to develop a documentary-style theatre piece on Chicago's Public Housing with Congo Square and the National Public Housing Museum. From 2004-08, he was the Artistic Director of Perseverance Theatre in Juneau, Alaska. During his tenure, Perseverance expanded its staff, completed a $1.1M facility expansion/renovation and $1M Endowment campaign and sent projects Off-Broadway, Washington, DC, and around the country. His directing credits include the World Premiere of Yeast Nation, Equus, The Who's Tommy, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, a new version of Hair, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Voyage, and columbinus. PJ conceived and co-adapted Raven Odyssey, a theatrical journey of Alaska Native Raven stories, gathered through interviews with Elders across the state. In 2002, PJ founded the United States Theatre Project, where he conceived, co-wrote, and directed columbinus, which premiered at Round House Theatre and Perseverance, and ran Off-Broadway at NY Theatre Workshop. columbinus was nominated for 2 Lucille Lortel Awards, 5 Helen Hayes Awards, is published by Dramatic Publishing, and has seen over 20 productions around the world. From 1998-2004, he served as the Associate Director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, DC, where his directing credits include Much Ado, Hamlet, Love Letters (with Dixie Carter and HAl Holbrook), All's Well That Ends Well (Classical Acting Conservatory), Two Gentlemen of Verona, Merchant of Venice and many plays in the ReDiscovery Series. The Washington Post called PJ, "One of the most exciting talents working in Washington." His DC productions include Romeo and Juliet (The Folger), a collaboration with Terrence McNally on a new version of Corpus Christi at Source Theatre (2003 GLAAD Media Award), The Diaries (Signature) and Love's Labour's Lost (Washington Shakespeare). Other directing credits include Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare Fest/St. Louis), Twelfth Night at Shakespeare Santa Cruz (2005 Newsweek's Top 5 summer productions), Merchant of Venice (American Shakespeare Center), Action (Circle Rep) and True West in Russian at the Moscow Art Theatre School. He has worked in education/administration at The Public Theatre, Pittsburgh Public, and Circle Rep, and has directed and/or taught Shakespeare at Juilliard, Bread Loaf School of English, NC School of the Arts, UAlaska-SE, UNC (Chapel Hill), Catholic U, UPenn, and Johns Hopkins. He holds a BFA in directing from Carnegie Mellon and graduate studies in acting at the Moscow Art Theatre School. He is a member of the SDC and is represented by Creative Artists Agency.

Distracted will be performed at American Theater Company, 1909 W. Byron St. in Chicago. Previews are Thursday, January 28, 2010 through Saturday, January 30 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, January 31 at 3 p.m. Press opening is to be determined. Regular performances run Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m.

Parking is available on the street and at the metered lot on the corner of Lincoln and Berenice. ATC is wheelchair accessible. Tickets are $30 in advance and $10 at the door during previews. Throughout the regular run, tickets are $35 - $50. Student and group discounts are available. ATC's box office is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on performance Saturdays and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on performance Sundays. For reservations or further information, call 773-409-4125 or visit www.atcweb.org .