About Face Theater Presents An Adaptation Of STUPID KIDS

Artistic Director Bonnie Metzgar and Managing Director Rick Dildine are pleased to announce About Face Theatre's second show of its 2008/2009 season, a dynamic, multimedia adaptation of "Stupid Kids" by the late John C. Russell. The production, directed by Metzgar and Youth Theatre Program co- founder Megan Carney, will be presented at the Center on Halsted.

"Though set in the late '80s, our production incorporates very contemporary, interactive elements that kids are using today to express who they are- blogging, social networks, texting, personal video," says co-director Metzgar. "In fact, we will encourage audience members to leave cell phones on during the show and become a part of the action. We wanted to create a live collage of images and impressions from both eras to build a mash-up of
these two generations."

To celebrate stupid stories about high school, About Face has launched the Stupid Kids Stuff Blog (http://stupidkidstuff.blogspot.com/), providing an
opportunity for visitors to share their personal stories about being a "stupid kid" and to participate in the Stupid Kids Multimedia Art Contest. Winning submissions will be featured in performances of the show and artists will receive complimentary tickets.

"Whoever's the stupidest wins!" says Dildine.

Set in a suburban high school during the late '80s, "Stupid Kids" is a classic tale of young love in the churning world of adolescence. The play was written by the late John C. Russell, an award-winning playwright and friend of Metzgar who died of AIDS in 1994. The production represents new artistic director Bonnie Metzgar's directorial debut at About Face Theatre.

A Personal Journey for Metzgar
Bonnie Metzgar and playwright John C. Russell met at Brown University while Russell was a graduate student studying with Paula Vogel. Russell went on to become a member of the New Works project at BACA DOWNTOWN in Brooklyn, NY where Metzgar was Artistic Director. Metzgar planned to produce a play of Russell's, but the collaboration never came to fruition before his death in 1994. The About Face production of "Stupid Kids" is Metzgar's way of making good on her promise. Before beginning the project, Metzgar reached out to Russell's parents to get their blessing for this new examination of "Stupid Kids."

Two Generations of Stupid Kids in One Dynamic Production

The production features adult actors playing high school students trapped in the 1980's, accompanied by a shadow cast of current high school students. Using a mix of music, video, slam poetry and dance, the production explores questions of sexuality and gender in high school of the '80's and today.

"We're the stupid kids of today," says 17 year old cast member Scott Jaburek. "We're here to show how the world of high school has changed in the past twenty years."

"This is an exciting opportunity to investigate the ways that technology shapes how today's young people form their identities and relationships," says Carney. "But, at the same time we're discovering how much being a teenager, especially a teenager in love, stays the same."

Vibrant, Critically Acclaimed Youth Theatre Program

About Face Youth Theatre (AFYT) provides an innovative and rigorous arts- based series of programs to increase the safety, empowerment and leadership capacity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning youth and their allies. Programs are developed to further youth-led civic dialogue and action within schools and communities. AFYT is dedicated to giving a voice to queer youth, creating performance opportunities for young artists, and connecting young activists and artists to LGBTQ leaders in the community. Programs include mainstage productions at the Center on Halsted, Theatre and Activism Workshops, The Playwright's Forum (an intensive playwriting workshop), open mic nights and educational outreach tours.

Megan Carney began her career with About Face Theatre in 1998 co-founding the About Face Youth Theatre. Her work with AFYT resulted in nine years of award-winning programming and plays including "Up Until Now" (2004) and "On The Record" (2005) both at The Goodman Theatre and "The Home Project" at Victory Gardens (2006), a two-year theatrical investigation of the issues of homelessness. "The Home Project" toured the country until 2008.

Megan Carney's credits outside of About Face Theatre include "Pittsburgh Project Remix," "[Classified]," and "Turning Corners," which addresses race and racism in Chicago area schools.

Recent awards include a Bard College Voices and Visions residency with Rivendell Theatre Ensemble of Chicago, a TCG Observership Grant, and induction into Chicago's Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame. Carney has taught in a variety of contexts, including the Urban Studies Program of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest, Roosevelt College, the University of Chicago, and Rhodes College in Memphis.

Bonnie Metzgar joined About Face Theatre as Artistic Director in May 2008. Before taking the helm at About Face, Metzgar was a professor at Brown University, director of the graduate playwriting program and artistic director of Brown's New Plays Festival for three years with Paula Vogel. She is perhaps best known for her collaboration with Pulitzer Prize-winner playwright Suzan-Lori Parks on the 365 Festival and her work as founding producer of the famed Joe's Pub venue in New York.

About Face Theatre is one of Chicago's most acclaimed theatre companies, and is a national leader in the development of new work exploring gender and sexual identity. Since its founding by Kyle Hall and Eric Rosen in 1995, the company has premiered more than 30 new plays by writers and directors who have been recognized with several Tony Awards, The Pulitzer Prize for Drama, The MacArthur Fellowship and dozens of Joseph Jefferson Awards.

Landmark productions include the world premier of Tony Award winning "I Am My Own Wife" as well as "Take Me Out," "Winesburg, Ohio," "One Arm," "M. Proust," "Loving Repeating: A Musical of Gertrude Stein," "Pulp," "Clay," and recently, "The Little Dog Laughed" and a 10th anniversary reading of "The Laramie Project." Artistic partners have included Moisés Kaufman, Mary Zimmerman, Frank Galati, Doug Wright, Jessica Thebus, Tectonic Theatre Project, Steppenwolf Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre and the Museum of
Contemporary Art.

"Stupid Kids" by John C. Russell
Directed by Bonnie Metzgar and Megan Carney
Featuring: Patrick Andrews, Erin Neal, Whitney White, and Tony Clarno
Previews: Feb 4 - Feb 11
Opening: Feb. 12
Regular run: Feb. 13 through March 8, 2009
The Center on Halsted, Hoover Leppen-Theatre
3656 N. Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60613
Tickets start at $20
Student rush tickets available for $10 with a valid student ID
For tickets and more information visit www.aboutfacetheatre.com or
call Ovationtix at 866-811-4111
Group rates available for parties of 10 or more

SPONSORS for "Stupid Kids" include Production Sponsor Denis Weil, Season Sponsors Best Western Hawthorne Terrace, and Sidetrack, and Media Partner Time Out Chicago.