Cast Announced For Pride Films And Plays' PINK ORCHIDS

Casting has been announced for Pride Films and Plays' American premiere of PINK ORCHIDS - the first play of the "PAC Pride Fest" - a summer season of five plays. PINK ORCHIDS, by Patrick Cash, is a British play in which five eloquently interwoven and often funny monologues explore the experience of living with HIV - a virus that attacks the emotions as well as the body. It premiered in London in 2016 under the title THE HIV MONOLOGUES. This production will be directed by Brennan T. Jones and will open to the press on Friday, June 8 at 7:30 pm, in the Pride Arts Center's Buena space. Jones directed JUMPERS FOR GOALPOSTS for Pride Films and Plays in summer 2017 and was Assistant Director for TimeLine Theatre's THE AUDIENCE last fall.

Jones' cast will include Jerome Beck (DONTRELL, WHO KISSED THE SEA for First Floor, and THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH for Remy Bumppo), Don Baiocchi (HOT PINK AND READY TO BLOW for New American Folk Theatre), Nick Dorado (AS YOU LIKE IT for Eclectic Full Contact Theatre Company and ON GOLDEN POND at Oil Lamp Theatre); and Kathleen Puls Andrade, whose stage credits include BIBLE BINGO, part of the LATE NITE CATECHISM series at the Royal George and whose television credits include CHICAGO MED, BOSS, BERNIE and the award winning SHERYL STILL SINGLE.

PINK ORCHIDS begins with Alex (Beck) meeting Nick (Baiocchi) and finding a connection. This connection is tested when Alex learns Nick is HIV-positive. He procrastinates about how to behave when confronted with Nick's HIV status and makes some regretful mistakes. An Irish nurse, Irene (Kathleen Puls Andrade), and a producer, Barney (Dorado), also explain how HIV has affected their lives and the devastation caused by media negativity and other elements within society, even from within the LGBT community.

The production team for PINK ORCHIDS will include Evan Frank (scenic design), Noel Huntzinger (costume design), Blake Cordell (lighting and sound design), Hillarie Shockley (properties design), Erica Hughes (Dialect Coach) and Megan Chaney (Stage Manager).

PINK ORCHIDS will open to the press on Friday, June 8, following previews on Wednesday, June 6 and Thursday, June 7. It will run through July 7th, playing in repertory with THE GREEN BAY TREE, which will open on June 13 following previews on June 11 and 12. The "PAC Pride Series" will continue with Joe DiPietro's f-ing MEN, playing from July 1 - August 25; a world premiere, HURRICANE DAMAGE by Kevin Brofsky playing from August 1 - 26; and the American Premiere of HOLDING THE MAN, by Australian playwright Tommy Murphy, from August 5 - 26, 2018.

Patrick Cash (playwright) is a writer living in London. His plays include a queer adaptation of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, THE CLINIC, QUEERS, THE CHEMSEX MONOLOGUES, SUPERFICIAL and THE HIV MONOLOGUES. He is a senior contributing editor to ATTITUDE and has written for VICE and DAZED. Both THE HIV MONOLOGUES and THE CHEMSEX MONOLOGUES are published by Oberon Books, and THE CHEMSEX MONOLOGUES was nominated for the Polari Prize 2017. THE HIV MONOLOGUES was produced in Sydney, Australia in 2017. He also wrote and co-produced the short film series THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GRINDR.

Brennan T. Jones (director) BRENNAN T. JONES is a freelance director, dramaturg, and stage manager in Chicago. Past PFP Credits include YANK! (AD) and staged readings of Tom Wells' JUMPERS FOR GOALPOSTS (Director) and Matt Schutz's SALT FIRE (Dramaturg). Brennan has also worked in Chicago with Timeline Theatre, Congo Square Theatre, Victory Gardens, and Porchlight Music Theatre, and is a resident artist at Redtwist Theatre. He is a recent graduate of the Theatre School at DePaul University, and also attended Virginia Commonwealth University. Upcoming: SAGGITARIUS PONDEROSA at Redtwist Theatre (Stage Manager) and THE BOOK OF DINAH for Exponent Media Group (Screenwriter). As always, thanks to Bonnie, Ms. K, and Wes.

Tickets for all events are on sale now at www.pridefilmsandplays.com or by phone at 866-411-4111 or 773-857-0222.