Akvavit Theatre to Present THEY DIED WHERE THEY LIED, 10/31-12/1

Akvavit Theatre presents their initial production of the 2013 - 2014 season, Swedish playwright Sofia Fredén's They Died Where They Lied, co-directed by Akvavit company members Matthew Isler and Mark Litwicki, translated by Edward Buffalo Bromberg and playing at the Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave., October 31 - December 1. Regular performances occur Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Industry night is Monday, Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. and there will be special Thursday performances on October 31 (Opening Night) and November 21 at 7:30 p.m. Press night is Friday, Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. Regular ticket prices are $20 for single tickets and $15 any performance for industry/students. Tickets are currently on sale and available online at www.brownpapertickets.com, and at the door the night of performances, based on availability. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.akvavittheatre.org.

They Died Where They Lied is a razor-sharp black comedy that unfolds under the midnight sun of midsummer Sweden. Camping on the outskirts of town, burned-out couple Anna and Erik anesthetize themselves on boxed wine and replay their usual bitter arguments. Just as things begin to spin out of control, a pair of ragged berry-picking foreigners wander in from the woods.

The cast for They Died Where They Lied includes: Mallory Nees (Anna), Brian Hoolahan (Erik) and Scott W. Anderson (Polish Man). The role of "Thai Woman" will be announced at a later date.

The crew for They Died Where They Lied is Matthew Isler* (co-director), Mark Litwicki* (co-director), Bergen Anderson* (producer), Chad Eric Bergman* (scenographer), Christina Marcantonio (costumes), Kirstin Franklin* (casting director), Wm. Bullion* (communications director), Breahan Eve Pautsch* (development director) and Liv Anderson (graphic design). Additional crew will be named at a later date.

*Indicates Akvavit Theatre company member.

Sofia Fredén's (Playwright) plays have been produced in most of the city and regional theatres in Sweden, as well as at the Royal Dramatic Theatre. In 2005, Fredén received the critics prize for Children and Youth Theatre, for three plays that played simultaneously at three different theatres; Bara Barnet (Only a Child), Ruttet: a princess liv (Rotten: The Life of a Princess) and Solapan (The Sun Monkey). Several of Fredén's plays are translated into other languages including French, German and English. Fredén is playwright in residence at Stockholm Stadsteatern and lives in Stockholm.

Akvavit Theatre is a young company with a mission to investigate and encourage

discussion about what "Nordic" means and how it is perceived through translated theatre performance. The plays Akvavit produces give Nordic countries a strong voice in North America while contributing to the vibrant intercultural theatre scene already thriving in Chicago.

Photo credit: Sooz Main