Cast and Crew Revealed For the World Premiere of Mark Pracht's THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION at City Lit

Full casting and production team have been announced for City Lit’s forty-third season opener - the world premiere of THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION by Chicago playwright Mark Pracht. It is the second play in his projected “Four-Color Trilogy” of plays set during the early years of the comic book industry. The first play in the trilogy, THE MARK OF KANE, opened City Lit’s forty-second season. 

THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION examines the 1950s Congressional investigation into the supposed link between comic books and juvenile delinquency, and the effect of the investigation on the careers of three persons:  William Gaines, the originator of the horror genre of comic books; Matt Baker, a Black closeted gay artist of romance comics; and Janice Valleau, creator of a pioneering comics feature starring a woman detective.  THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION will run from August 25 through October 8, 2023.  Press opening will be September 3, 2023, at 3 pm.
 
Leading the cast will be Sean Harklerode (THE MARK OF KANE, The Artistic Home’s REQUIEM FOR A HEAVUWEIGHT) as William Gaines), Brian Bradford (City Lit’s FUENTE OVEJUNA and THE BLOODHOUND LAW) as Matt Baker, and Megan Clarke  as Janice Valleau. Also in the cast are Charlie Diaz (Invictus Theatre’s THE CRUCIBLE) as Al Feldstein, Frank Nall (Invictus Theatre’s THE CRUCIBLE, The Artistic Home’s MALAPERT LOVE) as Dr Frederic Wertham, Zach Kunde (Invictus Theatre’s THE CRUCIBLE) as Lyle Stuart, Artistic Home ensemble member Laura Coleman as Shirley Norris, Ron Quade (Citadel Theatre’s BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS) as Max Gaines, LaTorious Givens (Invictus Theatre’s THE CRUCIBLE) as Connie, John Blick  (Promethean Ensemble Theatre’s BLUE STOCKINGS) as Archer St John and Henry Valleau, Invictus Theatre Company member Chuck Munro as Judge Charles F Murphy and Barry Walsh, Paul Chakrin (THE SAFE HOUSE and many other roles at City Lit) as John L Goldwater and Senator Robert C Hendrickson, Robin Trevino (Invictus Theatre’s WHO’S AFRAID OF Virginia Woolf) as Everett M "Busy" Arnold and Senator Estes Kefauver, Andrew Bosworth as Frank Guisto, Reed Crandall and Jack Davis, and Jessica Lauren Fisher (Black Button Eyes’ Mary Rose) as Jessie Gaines and  Gertrude St John.

The production team includes G. "Max" Maxin IV (Scenic, Lighting and Projection Design), Beth Laske-Miller (Costume Designer), Petter Wahlbäck (Composer and Sound Design), Alison Dornheggen (Violence and Intimacy Design), Jeff Brain (Props Design), and Zachary Osterman (Stage Manager).

Performances run August 25- October 8, 2023.
 
Single tickets for THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION are priced at $30 for previews and $34 for regular performances and are on sale now at www.citylit.org or by phone at 773-293-3682. Senior prices are $25 for previews and $29 for regular performances. Students and military are $12.00 for all performances. City Lit Season 43 subscriptions are available at $99.00, good for all performances, or $77.00 for preview performances.

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