Blackfriars Theatre Presents THE UNDENIABLE SOUND OF RIGHT NOW

It's Chicago in the early 90s and Hank's legendary rock 'n' roll bar is up against the destructive power of gentrification and the "next big thing." The Undeniable Sound of Right Now by Laura Eason runs at Blackfriars Theatre May 10 - 26. The theatre will transform itself into Hank's bar, replete with beer and wine for sale right on stage (provided by Rohrbach Brewing Company) and local bands playing thirty-minute sets prior to each performance. Featured bands include Mike & The Smugtown Hustlers and Periodic Table of Elephants, with more acts being announced soon.

This production is directed by Alexa Scott-Flaherty, who reveals some of the essential questions the piece poses to audience members. "What do we let go of? How do we change? Is change good? Can we hold on to the moments in our lives that exist with a bright intensity and are then gone?" She goes on to point out how this play captures the nostalgia of the 90s: "the action of the play takes place against the backdrop of a time when there was no internet to connect us, and live music shows were the place young people went to feel alive and to feel a part of a rebellion against the crush of popular culture. It is a love letter to a particular time, and to the bars in Chicago (and Seattle) that were a part of this moment." Scott-Flaherty previously directed the all-female production of Twelfth Night (2017) at Blackfriars, and will lead the theatre's much anticipated production of Calendar Girls in May of next year.

The Undeniable Sound of Right Now opened off-Broadway in April of 2015. Ms. Eason's original work includes Sex With Strangers, which enjoyed a successful run at Geva Theatre Center in spring of 2017. Ms. Eason is also a pioneering writer and producer for television, with her most recognizable work being on the Netflix hit House of Cards.

The Undeniable Sound of Right Now cast includes: Matt Ames (Hank); Dave Andreatta (Joey); Kate Armstrong (Lena); Laron Dewberry (Nash); Andy Head (Toby); Mary Mendez Rizzo (Bette).

TICKET PRICES: $28.50 - $36.50

• Tickets are available in person at Blackfriars Theatre, online at www.blackfriars.org, or by calling (585) 454-1260. Senior and student discounts are available through the Box Office. If available, tickets can be purchased at the door beginning one hour prior to performance. Box Office hours are Monday through Friday, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover are accepted at no additional charge.