Vitalist Theatre Presents Calderón de la Barca's Life is a Dream

Vitalist Theatre, in association with Premiere Theatre and Performance, will present Calderón de la Barca's LIFE IS A DREAM, in a New Version by Helen Edmundson and staged by Elizabeth Carlin-Metz at Stage773. Originally debuted at London's renowned Donmar Warehouse in 2009, critics hailed the play as "a mesmerizing work." (The Guardian) This USA premiere continues Vitalist's relationship with Helen Edmundson (The Mill on the Floss and Anna Karenina) that celebrates the perfect marriage of playwright and Vitalist's theatrical approach to plays of compelling ideas, visceral language, muscular performances, and visual lyricism. Press Opening is scheduled for TUESDAY, May 10, 2011 at 7:30 P.M. at Stage773 Chicago. Life is a Dream will run Thursdays-Sundays through June 11, 2011. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased on www.stage773.com or by calling Stage773's box office at 773.327.5252.

Calderón de la Barca stands with Lope De Vega as one of the two most celebrated and revered of the Spanish dramatic poets, and Life is a Dream remains central to Spanish cultural values-values that transcend national boundaries. Acclaimed British playwright Helen Edmundson's new version of Life is a Dream reclaims the original play's powerful and contemporary themes in language that is as visceral and grand, and with characters as human and knowable as Shakespeare's. Honor, humility, self-awareness, and accountability are universal virtues that define human aspirations the world round. But, as Calderón demonstrates, they are hard won and fragile-and without them we are little more than animals.

Life is a Dream (la Vida es Sueño) is one of the most famous plays of the Spanish Golden Age. Its 16th century themes explode in every contemporary political realm where leaders are called to stand for honor, duty, and accountability with humility, justice, and sacrifice. Yet every leader has some moment when restraint and personal sacrifice collide with power and personal will-history and the present moment are evidence that all too many fail this test, and succumb to their inner beasts only to revel in the opportunity power affords them to advance selfish impulses-wealth, sex, brutality, vengeance, fame, power for the sake of power. Calderón's play and the struggle of Prince Segismundo to know his self are a call to all who serve in positions of power to know that right is its own reward and personal gain is nothing more than a dream.

The King of Poland imprisons his infant son in an isolated tower for life so as to avoid a prophecy of doom for his nation. 35 years later, facing his own mortality, the King reconsiders his action and places his son on the throne. But a man so long imprisoned alone, knowing nothing of civilized society, has no compass by which to measure his appetites and his actions. He is no more a free agent than the dreamer in his dreams-he is a beast. Once the prince is free, honor, duty, justice, and accountability are on put on trial as he encounters the politics and players of the court where his rank accords him unbridled liberty and authority. Will moral restraint triumph over the inner beast? Is the inner beast the true nature of man when presented with power? Is life no more than a dream in which man is acted upon, or can he choose his own course?

As Artistic Director of Vitalist Theatre since 1997, After Dark Award winning director Elizabeth Carlin-Metz draws upon years of experience in both traditional and experimental theatre. Under her direction, Vitalist Theatre has developed its distinctive fusion of physical theatre, psychological dynamism, and magical-realism. The cast includes returning actors Paul Dunckel (The Night Season) as Prince Segismundo, Jeff Award nominated Madrid St. Angelo (A Passage to India) as the old king Basilio, and Jeff Award winning Vanessa Greenway (The Night Season) as the wronged Rosaura. Vitalist welcomes Chicago actors Lyndsay Kane, Gregory Issac, BF Helman, Matt Allis, William Gillespie, and co-artistic director of Urban Theatre, Ivan Vega. Set designer Tracy Otwell (puppetry design: Anung's First American Christmas) and fight designers R & D Choreography join the Vitalist award winning design team of Richard Norwood (lighting), Rachel Sypneiwski (costumes), and Gregor Mortis (sound).

Life is a Dream is presented on the West Stage at Stage773, 1225 W. Belmont, Chicago, 773.327.5252, www.stage773.com