Adventure Stage Chicago Presents THE WHIPPING BOY 1/24 at Vittum Theater

Adventure Stage Chicago (ASC) proudly presents the first play in this season's New Play Workshop Series: a reading of Beau Johnson's The Whipping Boy, adapted from Sid Fleischman's Newbery Medal-winning novel of the same name.

The Whipping Boy centers on proud orphan Jemmy and spoiled brat Prince Horace. In a time when striking an heir to the throne is considered a crime worse than murder, Jemmy is the unlucky boy picked to receive corporal punishment in the prince's stead. When the two young men run away from home, each sees the other in a new light and an unlikely friendship is born.
 
ASC's New Play Workshop Series is an opportunity for our audience to gain a sneak peek at and share their thoughts on new plays we are considering for full production in a future season. The audience is encouraged to remain after the reading for a talkback with the director and cast.

The Whipping Boy reading is directed by ASC Producting Artistic Director Tom Arvetis and features actors Joe Wescott, Kyle Gibson, Scott Letscher, Paul Fagin, Jana Liles, Brian Bell, Dani Bryant and Allison Latta.

Beau Johnson (playwright) is a teacher, playwright and director who has worked in theatres and schools around the country. Beau is an educator first and foremost, currently serving as the Program Director for the Adolescent Program at Omni Montessori School in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has a Masters in Educational Theater from New York University.

Adventure Stage Chicago's mission is to create dynamic and transformative theatre for young audiences that activates the imagination, inspires dialogue and strengthens community among families, educators and artists. ASC is Chicago's only professional theatre company dedicated solely to theatrical programming for young people ages 9-14 and the adults in their lives. ASC seeks to cultivate and create challenging new work, produce celebrated stories, and become a leader in theatre education through professional development workshops, residencies and resources that offer innovative ways to infuse theater into the classroom. This is ASC's sixth season. (The first three seasons were produced under the name Vittum Theater.)
 
ASC has received numerous honors from local and national organizations since its inception in 2004, including:
Two-time Finalist for the Broadway In Chicago Emerging Theater Award
Participant in the New Visions/New Voices Festival at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Washington D.C.
Zeta Phi Eta Winifred Ward Award for Outstanding New Children's Theatre Company from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education
Three-time Recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Access to Artistic Excellence Grant
Adventure Stage Chicago is a program of Northwestern University Settlement House, the oldest continually operating settlement house in Chicago. Throughout its 118-year history, the Settlement has remained committed to providing resources that empower our neighbors to overcome the obstacles of poverty. ASC extends this mission by presenting Chicago's young audiences, educators and families with an affordable artistic experience rooted in performance. Last season, ASC served 9,000 students from 82 schools throughout the Chicagoland area.

The Whipping Boy is presented on Sunday, January 24 at 2:00pm at Vittum Theater, 1012 N. Noble Street, Chicago. Admission is free, but reservations are strongly encouraged. Call 773-342-4141 for reservations. For more information on Adventure Stage Chicago, please visit our website at www.adventurestage.org.

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