Theatre School at DePaul to Present ANGELS IN AMERICA, PART TWO: PERESTROIKA, 2/8-17

The Theatre School at DePaul University's Showcase Series of Contemporary Plays and Classics presents ANGELS IN AMERICA, PART TWO: PERESTOIKA by Tony Kushner and directed by Jane Drake Brody. The production premieres on Friday, February 8, and runs through Sunday, February 17, 2013, at DePaul's historic Merle Reskin Theatre. Performances are Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM. Previews are on February 6 and 7, at 7:30 PM.

1980s America. An Angel of the Apocalypse crashes through a ceiling and hovers over the bed of Prior Walter, a gay New Yorker with AIDS. This collision sets in motion the reintroduction of characters from part one of Kushner's Pulitzer Prize-winning two-part epic as their lives intersect during the Reagan era. Tragic and hilarious, PERESTROIKA explores personal responsibility, the future of mankind, and the nature of God. Recommended for mature audiences.

Tickets are $15. Subscriptions and group rates (6 or more people) are available at (312)-922-0999. Seniors (over 60), DePaul employees and alumni, and college students receive a discount (with ID). Previews are FREE for any college student (with ID). Tickets are available by calling the Box Office at (312) 922-1999.

DePaul's historic Merle Reskin Theatre is located at 60 E. Balbo Drive at Michigan, Chicago. There are several parking lots near the theatre, and the theatre is also accessible via numerous CTA bus and train routes. Please call the Box Office for more information, directions, and suggestions to help plan your trip.

Jane Drake Brody (Director) currently teaches both graduate and undergraduate acting at The Theatre School at DePaul University. Formerly she was Head of Undergraduate Performance at Louisiana State University, where she received several university-wide awards for undergraduate teaching. Jane entered academia after a long career as an actress, director, professional acting coach, and casting director. Her many film and TV casting credits include the Oscar winner, FARGO, for which she received the Casting Society of America's Best Location Casting Award. In addition to casting hundreds of TV commercials, she was responsible for casting Oprah Winfrey's TV series WOMEN OF BREWSTER PLACE. Her stage casting credits include The Actor's Theatre of Louisville, the Attic Theatre in Detroit, The Guthrie in Minneapolis and many others. She has worked as an actress in all media, winning the Los Angeles Weekly's Best Actress Award for her appearance in Alan Ayckbourn's ABSENT FRIENDS. She founded and was Artistic Director of the Immediate Theatre in Chicago, where she directed the Joseph Jefferson nominated CRIMES OF THE HEART. Jane is well known as a coach throughout the US and has conducted workshops in over forty universities and independent acting schools. She has had articles published in American Theatre Magazine and in the ATHE Acting Journal. She is a member of SAG, AEA, AFTRA, and CSA. Her students can be seen nationally and internationally performing in all media.

The cast features Jack Ball (Prior Walter), Lauren Blakeman (Harper Pitt), Daniela Colucci (Hannah Pitt), David Giannini (Roy Cohn), Joe Keery (Joe Pitt), Matthew Sherrill (Louis Ironson), Rejinal Simon (Belize), and Alissa Walker (Angel).

The production staff includes Jane Drake Brody (Director), Tierra G. Novy (Scenic Design), Taylor S. Payne (Costume Design), Garvin Jellison (Lighting Design), Jenna Moran (Sound Design), Matthew Messina (Dramaturgy), and Emily Hitmar (Stage Management).

SPECIAL EVENTS: An Opening Night Party will be held after the performance on February 8. The performance on Sunday, February 9 (2 PM) will include live audio description services for patrons who are blind or have low vision, as well as a pre-performance touch tour. February 15th is Greater Chicago Food Depository Night; patrons will receive a $5 ticket for bringing 2 or more non-perishable goods to the theatre. Active U.S. Armed Forces Personnel and their families are invited for free on February 16th for USO of Illinois Night. The performance on Sunday, February 17th (2PM) will be interpreted in American Sign Language. TTY (773) 325-7975.

The Theatre School at DePaul University educates, trains, and inspires students of theatre in a conservatory setting that is rigorous, disciplined, and culturally diverse. The school and its students strive for the highest level of professional skill and artistry. A commitment to diversity and equality in education is central to its mission. As an integral part of the training, The Theatre School produces public programs and performances from a wide repertoire of classic, contemporary, and original plays that challenge, entertain, and stimulate the imagination. The school seeks to enhance the intellectual and cultural life of the university community, the city, and the profession.

For more information, visit theatre.depaul.edu or call (773) 922-1999.