Photo Flash: Raven Theatre Presents The Price

Raven Theatre will present Arthur Miller's drama, The Price, directed by Michael Menedian. Opening is Sunday, March 4 at 7:00 p.m. at Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark, with a reception following in Raven's lobby. Tickets and information are available at www.raventheatre.com or 773-338-2177.

About the show: "Two long estranged brothers - one a cop of limited means, the other a successful doctor - meet in the attic of a New York City brownstone to sort through their deceased parents' belongings. Decades of sacrifice, resentment, bitterness and jealousies ignite when the fraternal debate moves beyond the costs and values of the items to the values and successes of their own lives. The Price examines the balance between two distinctly opposing points of view as the brothers argue the worth of self-preservation versus familial responsibility."

Director, Michael Menendian, states, "I have wanted to stage The Price for nearly 20 years. I consider this to be one of his finest plays, dealing with universal issues of family loyalty, sibling rivalry and commitment to a certain code of conduct. I want the audience to question what they would do in the shoes of the characters."

Arthur Miller was an American dramatist who was honored with the Pulitzer Prize, the Jefferson Lecture and many other prestigious awards. Among his best known works are All My Sons, Death of a Salesman, The Crucible and A View From the Bridge.

Director Michael Menendian is a founding member and the Producing Artistic Director of Raven Theatre, where he has directed for many productions, earning numerous Joseph Jefferson and After Dark awards. He recently received a 2010 Jeff nomination for his direction of Raven's Death of a Salesman. Other productions include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Hedda Gabler, Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train, The Night of the Iguana, Dancing at Lughnasa, Golden Boy, Marvin's Room, A Streetcar Named Desire, A View from the Bridge, and Glengarry Glen Ross.

The cast of The Price includes: Chuck Spencer (Victor Franz) who is a Raven Theatre ensemble member and was last seen on Raven's stage in the critically acclaimed Death of a Salesman; JoAnn Montemurro (Esther Franz) who is the Co-Artistic Director of Raven Theatre where she recently directed Bus Stop; Leonard Kraft (Gregory Solomon) who was seen in Raven Theatre's production of Twelve Angry Men and has also performed with Shattered Globe, Steppenwolf, Timeline and Mary Arrchie and Jon Steinhagen (Walter Franz) who has been seen in Raven Theatre's productions of Bus Stop, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Odd Couple and Hedda Gabler.

The The Price staff includes: Amanda Rozmiarek (Set Design/Scenic Artist), Richard Norwood (Lighting Design), Danielle Stack (Sound Design), JoAnn Montemurro (Costume Design), Mary O'Dowd (Properties Design), Andrei Onegin (Technical Director), and Maria C. Carracciolo (Assistant Director). Jen Short serves as Stage Manager.

About "Out at Raven"
Raven Theatre continues to reach out to the LGBTQ community through their event series, "Out at Raven". Now in its second year, this series shows Raven's appreciation of and commitment to the LGBTQ community, providing an opportunity to mingle and network during one Friday night performance of each mainstage show. Tickets for each "Out at Raven" performance include a post-show wine and appetizer reception and discussion with the cast and director.

About Guest Speaker Dr. Irwin Weil
Dr. Irwin Weil is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literature at Northwestern University, where he has been teaching for more than 40 years. He earned his B.A. and M.A. at the University of Chicago and his Ph.D. at Harvard University. Professor Weil has received several teaching awards, including the Northwestern University College of Arts and Sciences Award for distinguished teaching and the University Alumni Award for excellence in teaching.

Raven Theatre
Founded in 1983, Raven Theatre is dedicated to breathing new life into American classics and exploring other works that illuminate the American experience, with occasional forays into world classics. In addition to its regular season, Raven produces a Workshop Series of new and experimental productions, as well as Take Flight, an Educational Outreach program, including teaching partnerships with various Chicago Public Schools, summer youth classes and original children's shows performed at Raven Theatre.

Raven Theatre Company is funded in part by the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, Polk Bros. Foundation, Yates-Feldman Foundation, The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The Alphawood Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, The MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, The Saints, S & C Electric Company, City of Chicago, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Gould & Ratner LLP, The Kinder Morgan Foundation, The Allstate Foundation and The Chicago Community Foundation.

Photos by Dean LaPrairie

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