TimeLine Theatre Stages Chicago Premiere of JUNO, Now thru 7/27

TimeLine Theatre Company concludes its 2013-14 season with the Chicago premiere of the musical JUNO, book by Joseph Stein, music and lyrics by Marc Blitzstein, based on the play JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK by Sean O'Casey, directed by TimeLine Associate Artistic Director Nick Bowling with music direction by Doug Peck and Elizabeth Doran. JUNO will run at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Avenue in Chicago, May 1 - July 27, 2014 (previews today, April 23 - 30). Press opening is Friday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m.

This timeless musical is set during the Irish Civil War in 1922, as the fearless matriarch of a destitute household holds her family together in the face of her husband's carousing. With fortunes about to turn, the family struggles to rise above the political and social unrest around them. This epic, humorous and heartbreaking tale of survival is told through honest and powerful anthems such as "I Wish It So," "We're Alive" and "On a Day Like This."

JUNO premiered on Broadway in 1959 starring Shirley Booth and Melvyn Douglas, playing for just 16 performances. It was subsequently produced Off Broadway in 1992 at the Vineyard Theatre, and was featured in City Center's Encores! series in 2008. It has never been seen in Chicago, until now.

JUNO is just the second musical produced by TimeLine during the theatre's history-the first being the Jeff Award-winning FIORELLO!, presented in 2006 and remounted for a second sold-out run in 2008.

The cast of JUNO is led by Marya Grandy (Marriott Theatre's 9 TO 5, Mercury Theatre's A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING, Broadway's LES MISERABLES) in the title role of Juno Boyle and Ron Rains(Goodman Theatre's A CHRISTMAS CAROL) as her husband Captain Jack Boyle. The cast also features Emily Glick, Jordan Brown, Caron Buinis, Jim Deselm, Kathleen Gibson, Kelli Harrington, James Houton, Matthew Keffer, Peter Oyloe, Michael Reckling, Andy Robinson, Peter Sipla, Anne Sheridan and Jonathan Stein.

The production staff for JUNO includes John Culbert (Scenic Design), Alex Wren Meadows (Costume Design), Keith Parham (Lighting Design), Palmer Jankens (Sound Design), Emily Guthrie (Properties Design), Katie Spelman (Choreography), Eva Breneman (Dialect Coach),Maren Robinson (Dramaturgy), Dina Spoerl (Lobby Display Design), Cassie Slater (Assistant Director), Katrina Herrmann (Stage Manager) and Nora Mally (Assistant Stage Manager).

Tickets are now on sale. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (773) 281-TIME (8463) or visit timelinetheatre.com.