Writer's Theatre Presents 'Picnic': Sept 16th

WRITERS’ THEATRE PRESENTS
William Inge’S PICNIC
DIRECTED BY David Cromer

 

Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce William Inge’s Picnic directed by David Cromer. The production runs September 16-November 16, 2008, at Writers’ Theatre, 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe.

When a charismatic young drifter arrives in a small Kansas town on the eve of a Labor Day picnic, the simmering repressions of its residents come rapidly to a boil. Frequently hilarious and profoundly moving, Inge’s masterpiece chronicles the hopes and despairs that lie between the realization of adulthood and the eternal optimism of youth.

This American classic is staged by David Cromer whose previous work for Writers’ Theatre includes The Price and Booth and whose highly acclaimed production of Adding Machine recently enjoyed a successful run in New York, winning four OBIE Awards, including Best Direction and four Lucille Lortel Awards, including Outstanding Director. 

“I could not be happier to have David back at Writers’ Theatre,” says Artistic Director Michael Halberstam. “David’s unflagging and uncompromising examination of the text always results in a startlingly elegant and yet quietly revelatory vision for the play. Accordingly, he has reconfigured our permanent seating, gathered a cast of new faces for Writers’ Theatre and is in the process of realizing a thrillingly vital reading of this classic American play. As he showed in his breathtaking production of Come Back Little Sheba last year, David’s considerable affinity for Inge’s sparse but heartaching humanity doesn’t just create the right time for this revival, it demands it.”

The cast includes: Annabel Armour (Helen), Hillary Clemens (Millie), Hannah Dworkin (Rosemary), Robert Fagin (Alan), Samantha Gleisten (Irma), Marc Grapey (Howard), Alyson Green (Christine), Boyd Harris (Hal), Natasha Lowe (Flo), Bridgette Pechman (Madge) and Bubba Weiler (Bomber).

The designers are Jack Magaw (scenic), Janice Pytel (costume). Keith Parham (lighting), and Rick Sims (sound).

David Cromer (Director) returns to Writers’ Theatre where he directed The Price, Booth, Oscar Remembered and appeared as Allen in The Beats. He recently directed Perfect Mendacity for Steppenwolf First Look Rep and Our Town for The Hypocrites (returning for a limited run September 25th). Chicago credits include: Adding Machine (Next Theatre), Come Back, Little Sheba (Shattered Globe Theatre), MOJO and The Hot l Baltimore (Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company), The Dazzle, Orson’s Shadow, and Golden Boy (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), The Cider House Rules and Suburban Motel (both co-directed with Marc Grapey for Famous Door Theatre Company), Journey’s End (Seanachai Theatre Company), and Angels in America (Journeymen Theater) among others. New York credits include: Adding Machine (Minetta Lane), Orson’s Shadow (Barrow Street Theatre). Regional credits include:

Orson’s Shadow (Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas and Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts), and The Grapes of Wrath (Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC). Later this season he will direct Celebrity Row at American Theatre Company here in Chicago, The Glass Menagerie at Kansas City Reparatory Theatre in Kansas City, and The Farnsworth Invention at the Alley Theatre in Houston. He received the 2008 OBIE and Lucille Lortel Awards for his direction of Adding Machine off-Broadway.

Annabel Armour (Helen Potts) returns to Writers’ Theatre where she has been seen in Booth, Fallen Angels and Dear Master. As an Artistic Associate of Remy Bumppo Theatre Company she has appeared in Philadelphia Story, Fiction, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, The Best Man, Power, Aren’t We All, Humble Boy, Hidden Laughter, Money, Top Girls, Hapgood, Road to Mecca, Heartbreakhouse, and A Delicate Balance (After Dark Award). Last summer she participated for the third time in Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s First Look Series. Other theater credits include working with Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Cleveland Playhouse, Goodman Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Organic Theatre Company (formally known as Organic/Touchstone Theatre), Cincinnati Playhouse and Ford’s Theatre (Washington D.C.). Armour is the recipient of Joseph Jefferson Awards for Angels in America Parts I & II directed by David Cromer (Journeyman Theater) and After Play directed by Steve Scott (Organic Theater Company). She also appeared in Angels in America Parts I & II, Before My Eyes and After Play at Organic Theater (After Dark Awards). She was last seen on the big screen as Edith the Realtor in The Amityville Horror and will be seen soon in Were the World Mine, at the Chicago International Film Festival. 

Hilary Clemens (Millie) is making her Writers' Theatre debut. As an ensemble member of The Gift Theatre Company, her past roles include Irina in Three Sisters, Elvira in Blithe Spirit and Donna in Hurlyburly. Other Chicago credits include Lucy in A Room with a View (Lifeline Theatre), Anne Frank in And Then They Came for Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank and Mayella in To Kill a Mockingbird (Apple Tree Theatre). Regionally, she has worked with Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Coterie Theatre and the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival. She is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago and The School at Steppenwolf (Steppenwolf Theatre Company).

Hanna Dworkin (Rosemary) is making her Writers’ Theatre debut. Additional Chicago credits include Mann Ist Mann, The Living, Remembrance, Ghetto, Early and Often, Pride’s Crossing, Hellcab (Famous Door Theatre Company), Humble Boy (Remy Bumppo Theatre Company), Mornings at Seven (Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place), Pulp (About Face Theater), The Laramie Project (Next Theatre Company), ‘Tis Pity She’s A Whore, Saturday Stories (A Red Orchid Theatre) and Refuge (Plasticene Physical Theatre). Regional credits include A…My Name is Alice (Madison Repertory Theatre), The Red Shoes, The Clown of God and The Cookie Jar (Minneapolis Children’s Theatre Company). Television credits include Cupid and Early Edition.

Robert Fagin (Alan Seymour) is making his Writers’ Theatre debut. Chicago credits include Our Town (The Hypocrites Theatre Company), Waiting For Lefty  (BackStage Theatre), Saved, Gas Mask 101, Buried Child, Mojo (Mary-Archie Theatre ), The Kentucky Cycle (Infamous Commonwealth), Cider House Rules (Famous Door Theatre Company), Marvin’s Room (Raven Theatre), The Entertainer (Illinois Theatre Center). He has adapted and directed Romeo & Juliet Wake Up Dead, Pericles the Awesome and Hamlet Must Kill!!!  for Bentlight Theatre.

Samantha Gleisten (Irma Kronkite) is making her Writers’ Theatre debut. Additional Chicago credits include Theatrical Essays (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Our Town, Miss Julie, Bald Soprano, 4.48 Psychosis (The Hypocrites Theatre Company) and That’s Weird Grandma (Barrel of Monkeys). Off-Broadway credits include The 4th Graders Present an Unnamed Love Suicide (The Hypocrites at 59E59 Theaters). Film credits include First Bass and Limits. Television credits include the currently airing From Junky to Funky for which she served as host for over 50 episodes. She is a proud company member of The Hypocrites and Barrel of Monkeys.

Marc Grapey (Howard) is making his Writers’ Theatre debut. As an actor, he most recently appeared in Sarah Ruhl’s Dead Man’s Cell Phone (Steppenwolf Theatre Company). Other Chicago credits include I Sailed with Magellan (Victory Gardens Theatre), the world premieres of Eric Bogosian’s Griller. Noah Haidle’s Vigils (Goodman Theatre), Early and Often and The Homecoming (Famous Door Theatre Company). Regionally he appeared at the Humana Festival of New American Plays in The As If Body Loop (Actors Theatre of Louisville). In 2005 made his Broadway debut opposite Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick in Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple. Television credits include Arrested Development, The West Wing, Law and Order: S.V.U., Two and a Half Men, The Comeback, and Sex and the City. Film credits include Ali, While You Were Sleeping, The Company, The Daytrippers, Superbad and the upcoming Adventureland, Chicago Overcoat and Public Enemies. He has collaborated with David Cromer at Famous Door Theatre Company as a director on Suburban Motel (Joseph Jefferson Award – Best Direction and Production) and The Cider House Rules (Joseph Jefferson Award – Best Direction and Production).

Alyson Green (Christine) returns to Writers’ Theatre where credits include multiple understudy roles in Arms and the Man, The Uneasy Chair and The Turn of the Screw. Other theatre credits include Love in the Title, A Life (Irish Repertory Theatre), All’s Well That Ends Well (Chicago Shakespeare Theater) and Macbeth (Oak Park Theatre Festival). Green has worked extensively with Shaw Chicago where she has appeared in numerous staged readings. In Canada, Alyson was co-Artistic Director of Orange Dog Theatre and appeared in their many productions including The League of Nathans, Andromache and the title role in Miss Julie. Film and television credits include the CBC mini-series A Conspiracy of Silence and the weekly television series Traders.

Boyd Harris (Hal) makes his Writers’ Theatre debut. Chicago credits include Questa (People’s Theatre), Flat Danny (2007 Rhino Fest/Happenstance Group) and Zombies from the Beyond (Backstage Theatre). Harris was born and raised on the Near North Side of Chicago. He is a graduate of DePaul University.

Natasha Lowe (Flo) was most recently seen at Writers' Theatre as Sheila in Benefactors (After Dark – Best Performance). Other Chicago credits include Betty’s Summer Vacation (Roadworks Theatre Company), The Boarding House, The Front Page (Next Theatre Company), 1,001 Afternoons in Chicago (Prop Theatre/Live Bait) Pledge of Allegiance (American Theatre Company) and Golden Boy (Steppenwolf Theatre Company). Working with The Journeymen, she also appeared in Angels in America Part I & II (Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Ensemble) and at City Lit Theatre Meridian (Joseph Jefferson Citation for Supporting Actress). 

Bridgette Pechman (Madge) is making her Writers' Theatre debut. She is a recent graduate of the Conservatory Program at Act One Studios where she appeared in Two Eclairs, The Laramie Project, directed by Kimberly Senior, and Cherrywood, directed by David Cromer. This summer she appeared as Sally in the premiere of Pulverized at the 20th annual Chicago Directors Festival at Bailiwick Repertory.

Bubba Weiler (Bomber) is making his Writers’ Theatre debut. He recently appeared in A Park in Our House and I Sailed With Magellan (Victory Gardens Theater), Dandelion Wine (Chicago Children’s Theatre’s) and Hecuba (Chicago Shakespeare). Bubba has appeared as an Orphan in Oliver! (Marriott Lincolnshire), Winthrop Paroo in The Music Man, Mike T.V. in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Smee in Peter Pan (Acorn Community Theatre in Warrenville, IL). He is a member of Upstage Kids, a group of young performers who present musical revues for nursing homes, veterans groups and community organizations. He recently participated in a workshop presentation of The Burnt Part Boys at Vineyard Theatre in New York.

Performances are September 16 - 23, 2008. The press performance is on September 24, 2008, at 7:30 p.m. The production runs through November 16, 2008. Curtain times are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. There will be no 6:00 p.m. performances on Sunday, November 2 or 16, 2008. Wednesday matinees will begin at 2 p.m. on October 22, 29 and November 12, 2008.

Tickets are $50-$65 (Writers’ Theatre subscribers receive a 10% discount) and are available at the Box Office, 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe; 847-242-6000 or online at www.writerstheatre.org.

Discussions with artistic staff and cast members will follow the performances on September 30 and October 1, 2008.  A pre-show lecture, designed to make the Writers’ Theatre experience even more enjoyable, will be given by Michael Halberstam or other members of the artistic staff on October 5 and 19 at 5 p.m.

DiPescara is the Writers’ Theatre 2008/09 Season restaurant partner. Patrons can enjoy dinner before the show at Di Pescara (2124 Northbrook Court, Northbrook), one of the North Shore’s top restaurants, named among the city’s best new restaurants by Chicago magazine. This Lettuce Entertain You restaurant, conveniently located at Northbrook Court (just five minutes from the theatre), is offering a three-course pre-theatre meal for $29.95 (excluding tax and gratuity). Contact Di Pescara at 847-498-4321 to make your reservation and mention Writers’ Theatre to receive your special offer.

The 2008/09 season sponsor is Mary Winton Green.

The production sponsor is NES Rentals.

The Writers’ Theatre season is underwritten, in part, by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

Writers’ Theatre is a professional company focusing on the Word and the Artist. Remaining true to the intention of the playwright and nurturing the artist stand at the center of the mission.  Now in its 17th season, the company both revives classic scripts and cultivates new works and adaptations while invigorating them with fresh energy in the intimacy of its venues. Founded in 1992, Writers’ Theatre performed exclusively at Books on Vernon, 664 Vernon Avenue for the first 12 years. In the fall of 2003, the organization opened a new 108 seat performance venue at 325 Tudor Court. Today, Writers’ Theatre continues to produce in both spaces, maintaining an intimate theatrical experience for audiences.  Since 2000, the subscriber base has grown almost 250%, from 1,500 to more than 5,300 today.  With an operating budget of $3.4million, Writers’ Theatre is supported by a staff of 16 full-time employees and a 29-member Board of Trustees.

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