BACKSTORY LIVE! to Feature THE BIRTH OF THE PILL Author and Playwright

TimeLine Theatre Company will host Backstory LIVE! Behind the Scenes with Jonathan Eig and Jessica Huang on Thursday, October 1 from 12-2 p.m. at the University Club of Chicago.

The fundraising luncheon, part of TimeLine's 30th Anniversary Season, will feature a conversation between Jonathan Eig, author of the 2014 book The Birth of the Pill, and Jessica Huang, who adapted Eig's book into TimeLine's current world-premiere production. Journalist Natalie Moore will moderate the discussion. TimeLine describes the event as an opportunity to explore the pair's collaborative process and the ways new storytellers can bring different perspectives to historical material.

Eig won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Biography for King: A Life, his biography of Martin Luther King Jr. His other books include Ali: A Life.

Tickets for Backstory LIVE! are $300, with sponsorships beginning at $2,500. Net proceeds will support TimeLine Theatre's programs and mission.

The Birth of the Pill

Commissioned and developed by TimeLine, Huang's The Birth of the Pill is based on Eig's book and directed by Sandra Marquez. The world premiere examines the development of the birth control pill and the people involved in its creation, including Margaret Sanger, Gregory Pincus, John Rock and Katharine McCormick, while also addressing the clinical trials conducted in Puerto Rico and the experiences of the women involved.

The production is currently playing at TimeLine Theatre's new home at 5035 N. Broadway in Chicago.

Backstory LIVE! Raffle

In conjunction with the fundraiser, TimeLine supporters can enter a raffle for a three-night San Diego spa getaway for two at Estancia La Jolla, including spa treatments and dining credit.

Raffle tickets are $25 each or five for $100. The winner will be selected October 13 and does not need to be present at the luncheon to win.

Backstory LIVE! is co-chaired by Jennifer Ames and Maridee Quanbeck. The event will take place Thursday, October 1 from 12-2 p.m. at the University Club of Chicago, 76 E. Monroe Street.