Cast Announced for Chicago Premiere of NICK AND ZOE

Adam Webster, Artistic Director of the side project, today announced casting for the side project's Chicago premiere of NICK & ZOE, Daniel Talbott's contemporary drama of a volatile relationship between two young New Yorkers. Webster will direct NICK & ZOE, which will be performed in the side project's former 28-seat performance space at 1439 W. Jarvis Avenue in Rogers Park, a venue the company had occupied between 2007 and 2016 before transitioning the space over to new theatrical tenants. The play starts previews September 6 and runs Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm through September 29.

The production furthers the 10-year relationship between Talbott and Webster, who directed his full-length plays SLIPPING and MIKE AND SETH at the side project, in 2008 and 2014, respectively, to critical acclaim. The company took SLIPPING to the 2008 Dublin International Gay and Lesbian Theatre Festival, and the play was shortlisted for the 2009 LAMBDA Award. The company has also staged various of Talbott's shorter works. Talbott, an artistic associate of New York's Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, is currently living in Los Angeles, where he has been writing for screen and television projects as well as for the stage.

"I am excited to explore Talbott's work again, especially in our 'old space,' which is perfectly suited to this claustrophobic two-person show," Webster said. "Daniel's language is always so alive and visceral, and in this play even more in-your-face than usual as it tackles class, gender, and social issues, as well as honesty, duplicity, and self-discovery."

In NICK & ZOE, which premiered in 2017 in New York's Fridge Festival, it's 3:28am. The sounds of the city pour into Nick's Manhattan apartment. It's a hot summer night when it feels like the oxygen is being burnt out of the air. What is he even doing here? What is she? Sometimes love swims in your blood and digs into your bones and muscles. It becomes part of you, and you'll do almost anything not to lose it. Both of their lives have been irrevocably changed. The neighbor's jazz is loud. But not loud enough to wash this all away.

The production will feature Andrew Rathgeber as Nick and Josephine Longo as Zoe. Rathgeber has been seen recently in RED VELVET at Chicago Shakespeare and SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER at Raven Theatre. Longo is a transplant from Sacramento, California, where she attended the Sacramento Theatre Conservatory and appeared in major roles with Sacramento companies including Cinderella in CINDERELLA (Sacramento Theatre Company), Nell Gwynn in COMPLEAT FEMALE STAGE BEAUTY (Big Idea Theatre), and Madeleine Leclerc in QUILLS (Errant Phoenix Productions). Webster's production team will include designers Blake Cordell, Cristina McCrystal, Sean McStravick, and Danielle Myerscough, production manager Brian Ruby and Stage Manager Molly Smith.

The Fall repertory will continue with OXY, OHIO - a play by Steve J. Spencer (PUSH BUTTON MURDER) about the opioid crisis, set in Dayton, Ohio. OXY, OHIO, which Webster will also direct, will open on September 23 and play through October 14 at 1439 W. Jarvis. Cast to be announced shortly.

Tickets for both plays are currently on sale and available at www.thesideproject.net.

Photo: Andrew Rathgeber, Josephine Longo

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