Court Theatre Re-Imagines JAMES JOYCE'S THE DEAD, 11/8-12/9

Court Theatre Artistic Director Charles Newell and Executive Director Stephen J. Albert present James Joyce's "The Dead," with book by Richard Nelson, music by Shaun Davey, lyrics conceived and adapted by Richard Nelson and Shaun Davey, and directed by Charles Newell with musical direction by Doug Peck. "The Dead" will run November 8 – December 9, 2012 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Avenue. The press opening is Saturday, November 17, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

Artistic Director Charles Newell and Music Director Doug Peck, whose professional collaborations include Porgy and Bess and Caroline, or Change, team up for a delightful reimagining of Court Theatre's eccentric holiday classic, James Joyce's "The Dead." Filled with the warmth of a flickering hearth, the fervor of an Irish folk song, and the mystery of a snowy winter's eve, this piece tells the tale of a group of family and friends as they gather to sing and dance in celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany in Dublin at the turn of the last century. Hauntingly beautiful and joyfully spirited, James Joyce's "The Dead" offers a heartfelt accompaniment to the holiday season.

"Doug Peck and I are returning to James Joyce's "The Dead" as the next step on a journey that includes Caroline, or Change and Porgy and Bess," says Artistic Director Charles Newell. "With these shows, we learned important lessons about ritual and community that we're applying to Richard Nelson and Shaun Davey's masterful musical: for example, all of the instrumentation will be performed by the characters themselves, making it a more authentic experience with even more emotional depth. This will be a production of "The Dead" unlike anyone has ever seen before."

The cast of James Joyce's "The Dead" includes Jim DeSelm (Michael - Guitar), Mary Ernster (Aunt Julia Morkan), Lara Filip (Molly Ivors), J. Michael Finley (Bartell D'Arcy), Rebecca Finnegan (Mrs. Malins),Suzanne Gillen (Lily – Flute), Anne Gunn (Aunt Kate Morkan), Philip Earl Johnson (Gabriel Conroy), Rachel Klippel (Rita/Young Julia), Regina Leslie (Mary Jane – Violin), Rob Lindley (Freddie Malins), Susie McMonagle (Greta Conroy), and Steve Tomlitz (MR. Brown – Cello).

The creative team includes Scott Davis (scenic design), Linda Roethke (costume design), Jennifer Tipton (lighting design), and Joshua Horvath (sound design). William Collins is the production stage manager and Donald Claxon is the assistant stage manager. Katie Spelman is the choreographer and Drew Dir is the dramaturg.