Michael Shannon to Helm Premiere, Star in VICTIMS OF DUTY as Part of A Red Orchid's 25th Anniversary Season

By: Jun. 01, 2017
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A Red Orchid Theatre announces its 25th Anniversary Season, including Evening at the Talk House by Wallace Shawn, directed by Ensemble Member Shade Murray, and featuring Ensemble Members Lance Baker, Kirsten Fitzgerald and Natalie West.

The World Premiere of Traitor, an adaption of Ibsen's Enemy of the People by Brett Neveu, directed by Ensemble Member Michael Shannon, and featuring Ensemble Members Dado, Larry Grimm, Danny McCarthy, Guy Van Swearingen and Natalie West, with lighting designed by Ensemble Member Mike Durst.

Also in the season will be 33 to Nothing by Grant Varjas, featuring Ensemble Member Steve Haggard. In summer 2018 A Red Orchid will also present a bonus presentation of Victims of Duty by Eugene Ionesco, directed by Shira Piven, and featuring original cast members Michael Shannon and Guy Van Swearingen.

In addition to the company's Chicago Productions, A Red Orchid's 2013 production of Simpatico will open the season at the prestigious McCarter Center in Princeton, New Jersey. Simpatico will feature the original cast and creative team, directed by Dado and featuring Kristin Ellis, Jennifer Engstrom, Mierka Girten, Michael Shannon, Guy Van Swearingen and Doug Vickers, with designs by Grant Sabin, Christine Pascual, Mike Durst, Joe Court and stage manager by Christa van Baale.

"Our 25th anniversary season is full of landmark events for A Red Orchid," comments Artistic Director Kirsten Fitzgerald. "In 2017-2018 we will see our first collaboration with an iconic playwright, our tenth world premiere with an ensemble member playwright, and a second collaboration with a local playwright. Ensemble is at the heart of everything we do, and we're thrilled to present a 25th anniversary season packed with ensemble members both onstage and off. With an eye toward reaching out we are also over-the-moon to collaborate with Emily Mann and Debbie Bisno to bring A Red Orchid to the McCarter Center, as well as with Ike Holter, Tony Santiago and The Roustabouts in incubating new work right here at home."

A Red Orchid Theatre's 2017-2018 Season includes:

Evening at the Talk House

by Wallace Shawn
Directed by Ensemble Member Shade Murray
Featuring Ensemble Members Lance Baker, Kirsten Fitzgerald and Natalie West
October 5 - November 19, 2017
Previews: October 5 - 8, 2017
Press Opening: Monday, October 9, 2017 at 7pm
Red Night Opening: Friday, October 13, 2017 at 8pm

Remember when you felt you could do anything, when there was still nothing to fear? Evening at the Talk House is a reunion at your favorite club, where old friends cozy up, raise a glass and remember gentler times when culture had value and terror wasn't the every day. This ultra-dark comedy invites us all to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the opening night of Robert's under-appreciated masterpiece, Midnight in a Clearing with Moon and Stars. Please come. We need each other.

The World Premiere of

Traitor
an adaption of Ibsen's An Enemy of the People
by Brett Neveu
Directed by Ensemble Member Michael Shannon
Featuring Ensemble Members Dado, Larry Grimm, Danny McCarthy, Guy Van Swearingen and Natalie West, with lighting designed by ensemble member Mike Durst
January 11 - February 25, 2018
Previews: January 11 - 14, 2018
Press Opening: Monday, January 15, 2018 at 7pm
Red Night Opening: Friday, January 19, 2018 at 8pm

In this world premiere adaptation of Heinrich Ibsen's An Enemy of the People, a small, North Chicago suburb finds the town's restart button with an investment in a newly opened charter school. After issues with the school grounds are discovered by its head of sciences, Dr. Stock, a quest to inform and correct is met with support. But suspicion and rancor mount as truths bubble to the surface. A play that mirrors our vital, absurd and often hilarious political times.

33 to Nothing
by Grant Varjas
Featuring Ensemble Member Steve Haggard
April 12 - May 27, 2018
Previews: April 12 - 15, 2018|
Press Opening: Monday, April 16, 2018 at 7pm
Red Night Opening: Friday, April 20, 2018 at 8pm

Taking place during a real-time band practice, 33 to Nothing is a play that rocks hard and breaks hearts. Feeling the incessant call of adulthood, individuals begin to question their role in the ensemble. Ultimately begging the question: to break up or to build stronger? An anthem of forgiveness, loyalty and resilience when your world is being torn by the seams.

Summer Bonus
Victims of Duty
by Eugene Ionesco
Directed by Shira Piven
Featuring original cast members Michael Shannon and Guy Van Swearingen
July-August 2018

Much of the original 1995 team come together to revisit Ionesco's absurd masterpiece. Choubert, the archetypal bourgeois everyman, and his wife Madeleine are spending a quiet evening at home when the Detective arrives to enlist their help in finding the previous tenant. A roller-coaster ride of high comedy and horrific tragedy as Choubert examines his past present and future in a quest to find out where Mallot could be hiding.

Incubator

Also in 2017 A Red Orchid's Incubator hosts The Roustabouts inaugural production/pop-up. Founded by Ike Holter and Tony Santiago, The Roustabouts are responsible for Ike Holter's Stay Lit at Oracle and Steppenwolf Theatres, and the Winehouse concert at Oracle. They will produce a new play by Ike Holter as part of A Red Orchid's Incubator series. Cast, production team and plot information are under wraps, but the project will premiere before the end of the year.

A Red Orchid continues the FLASHPASS. As always, FLASHPASS holders get reserved seats, ticket and date flexibility, no-fee ticket exchanges, discounts for friends & family tickets, and early access to events such as readings, panel discussions, and more. The Three-show FLASHPASS is $80 and includes one ticket to each of the 3 shows in our 25th Season, excluding Press Opening and Red Nights. The Three-show Red Night FLASHPASS is $150 and includes a ticket to each of the 3 show's Red Night Opening and post-show reception with the cast and creative team. The Preview Saver FLASHPASS is $50 and includes one ticket to a preview performance of each of the 3 shows in our 25th season. Add a ticket for the Summer Bonus, Victims of Duty, to any FLASHPASS at the time of purchase.

Flashpasses may be purchased from the Box Office at 1531 N. Wells Street, Monday through Friday from 12 pm to 5 pm, by telephone during office hours by dialing (312) 943-8722, or online at www.aredorchidtheatre.org. Individual tickets will go on sale at a later date.

With our 25th season of ambitious and powerful storytelling, we are thrilled to announce the launch of A Red Orchid Theatre's Red League. At $1k or more, The Red League represents a donor community of our most committed and impactful cultural investors. Every profound and shocking moment on our stage is made possible through their critical annual contributions. Their philanthropic leadership fosters the development of raw and relevant work, creates a platform for our talented ensemble to reach new audiences, and ensures that A Red Orchid Theatre remains a source for honest, compassionate, and aesthetically rigorous theatre.

A Red Orchid Theatre has served as an artistic focal point in the heart of the Old Town community of Chicago since 1993 and was honored this year with a 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. Over the past 24 years, its Resident Ensemble has welcomed into its fold an impressive array of award-winning actors, playwrights and theatre artists with the firm belief that live theatre is the greatest sustenance for the human spirit. A Red Orchid is well known and highly acclaimed for its fearless approach to performance and design in the service of unflinchingly intimate stories. In addition to its professional season, the company is also committed to an OrKids (youth) project and hosts The Incubator (providing artists with space and time to explore new work, new forms and new artistic collaborations).

A Red Orchid Theatre is: Lance Baker, Kamal Angelo Bolden, Dado, Mike Durst, Jennifer Engstrom, Kirsten Fitzgerald, Joseph Fosco, Steve Haggard, Mierka Girten, Larry Grimm, Karen Kawa, Karen Kessler, Danny McCarthy, Shade Murray, Brett Neveu, Michael Shannon, Guy Van Swearingen, Doug Vickers and Natalie West.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride


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