BoHo Theater Presents DIRTY BLONDE 4/1-5/1

BoHo Theatre presents Claudia Shear's Dirty Blonde, a multilayered exploration of American entertainment icon Mae West as seen through the eyes of a pair of disaffected present-day fans, running April 1 through May 1, 2011 at Theater Wit, 1229 W Belmont Avenue. Dirty Blonde is directed by BoHo Artistic Advisor Stephen Genovese.

"I made myself platinum, but I was born a dirty blonde." -Mae West

Claudia Shear's hilarious and touching play weaves together the rise and fall of Mae West, the legendary star of stage and screen, with the awkward romance of Jo and Charlie, two Mae West fanatics in present-day New York. The brash and outspoken Jo is an aspiring actress stuck in a cycle of temp jobs while Charlie, a meek and introspective soul, works in the film archives of the New York public library. Though seemingly polar opposites, both are striving for something they see in Mae-a confidence and finesse that made her into the extravagant, sexy, taboo-breaking public persona that was the hallmark of her fame. But Mae sacrificed much to maintain her public image. What are Charlie and Jo willing to sacrifice to become like her?

Directed by Jeff Award-winning director Stephen Genovese (Sideshow, The Glorious Ones, I Am My Own Wife (co-director)), the production features three versatile and talented performers who sing, dance, and play dozens of characters. Featuring such legendary West songs as "I'm No Angel" and "She Done Him Wrong," BoHo's Dirty Blonde explores the roots of true beauty, and the lengths we go to attain it.

Dirty Blonde
By Claudia Shear
Conceived by Claudia Shear and James Lapine
Directed by Stephen Genovese
Scenic Design by Andrew Marchetti
Costume Design by Theresa Ham
Cast: Nicholas Bailey, Anne Sheridan Smith, and David Tibble

April 1 - May 1, 2011
Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m.
Opening Night is Saturday, April 2 at 8:00pm.
League of Chicago Theater's "Theater Thursday" presented April 21 will include refreshments and an interactive event exploring the play's themes.

Theater Wit
1229 W Belmont Ave, Chicago
For tickets, call the Theater Wit Box Office at 773-975-8150 or visit www.BoHoTheatre.com
Tickets on sale now
Opening weekend (April 1 - 3) ticket price: $18
Regular run ticket price: $25

BIOS

Claudia Shear (Playwright)
Ms. Shear started her theatre career with her one-woman play, Blown Sideways Through Life, a comedy that chronicled the 64 jobs she supported herself with before her acting career took off. Shear received a special Obie Award and a Drama Desk Award nomination for writing and starring in the play. She followed Sideways with Dirty Blonde, which originated at the New York Theatre Workshop in 1999 before going on to Broadway. The play received five Tony nominations, including Best Play and Best Actress in a Play nods for Shear, and Direction of a Play for James Lapine, who staged the production. Shear premiered her latest play, Restoration, at La Jolla Playhouse in La Jolla, California in June 2009 and in New York in May 2010. In between her stage work, Shear has appeared in the HBO Movie Earthly Possessions, as well as small roles in It Could Happen To You and Living Out Loud. Shear has also written various pieces for The New York Times, Vogue, Glamour, Travel and Leisure, Psychology Today, and the online magazine Underwire.

Stephen Genovese (Director)
Steve has spent the better part of 30 years involved in theatre in one aspect or another. From stage direction to technical direction, costuming to props, acting to writing, being involved on so many levels has helped him officiate in the positions he currently holds as Artistic Advisor and founding Artistic Director at BoHo Theatre. Steve has performed at or worked with The Marriott Theatre, Pheasant Run Dinner Theatre, Court Theatre, and Stage Right Theatre, to name a few. His works as director and/or designer for BoHo include the critically acclaimed hit musicals The Wild Party, the Jeff-winning SideShow, Jekyll & Hyde, and The Glorious Ones, and the plays I Am My Own Wife (co-director) and Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde.

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