Dandelion Theatre's EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN Continues Through The End Of August

Everything In Between, which opened Friday, July 27, is the newest production from Dandelion Theatre. The play is an original work devised by the ensemble and grew out of a six-month long process led by Artistic Director and lead editor, Katherine Lamb, and Director Kristina McCloskey. The play explores our universal need for connection and meaning with humor and candor. It delves into the lives of ten Americans, who are nothing alike and yet have so much in common. Through them, we see the ever-present ebbs and flows that take us all closer to, and further from who we thought we'd be.

In its first four years, Dandelion Theatre has invested deeply in the development of new work and supporting Chicago theatre artists. The tent poles of this commitment are Dandelion's on-going reading series, The Make Ready, and it's more traditional staged reading series, Reservoir. Now, with Everything In Between, Dandelion has shepherded a new work through the development process from beginning to end, and with impressive results.

"Devised work is a bit of a catch-all description" says Lamb. "It can mean so many different things and it's really up to the artists involved to design their own development process. When I made the decision to create a devised work this season, I knew, for me, it meant gathering together a group of artists that I trusted and admired." While Lamb served as the lead editor, focusing on character and story, McCloskey, as Director, helped build trust and playfulness amongst the cast, turning them into a cohesive ensemble. "Kristina is the first person I approached" says Lamb. "We'd worked together many times over the last few years and I knew she had both a knack for developing new work, as well as the passion for the long process we were embarking on."

The talented cast of ten embodies a wide range of characters that traverse some of life's persistent themes: loss, self-discovery, what it means to be from somewhere, and who we want to be. The characters are laid bare, flaws and all, so that there is no right side to a conflict, no easy solution. It's a glimpse of people's lives that we are rarely afforded in real life. "We've been so lucky" says Lamb. "The entire cast has brought such talent and compassion to this project. They committed to it, and each other, whole-heartedly, even though we had no idea what the end result would be. It's been very inspiring to be a part of this process."

From their earliest discussions about the project, Lamb and McCloskey intended for the final product to be wide-ranging in scope while also remaining personal and intimate. Everything In Between has been staged in a new venue, The Martin, a non-traditional space for a piece of theatre, but a perfect space for this play. The audience is brought in close to the actors and there is a communal feel to the show as there is no backstage area. "I think audiences will walk away with a full experience," says McCloskey, "because this world encapsulates lots of intriguing conflict - connection budding up against searing loss, serious addiction juxtaposed with awkward laughter, the pain of an extinguishing friendship illuminated by the glow of a gas station. As one of our characters says, 'You can either laugh about it, or cry about it.' Even better - we prove that phrase wrong. While watching the show, the audience can explore all of the messy, unexpected reactions in between."

Everything In Between runs now through August 29. All shows at 7:30pm on the following: Thursday 8/16, Friday 8/17, Monday 8/20, Wednesday 8/22, Tuesday 8/28, Wednesday 8/29.

For tickets visit www.dime.io/events/everything-in-between or call (773) 349-2342; ticketing questions email dandeliontheatre@gmail.com

The Martin, 2515 W. North Ave.

Tickets are $25 suggested donation

CAST: Bryan Breau (Paul), Morgan Crouch (Sara), Casey Freund (Tim), Martha Hansen (Sylvia), Cynthia Hines (Claudine), Amber Hugee (Daphne), Katherine Lamb (Kim), Nicole Tuthill (Janie), Joe Vargo (Carey), and Reilly Willson (Bill)

PRODUCTION TEAM: Kristina McCloskey (director), Hannah Beehler (stage manager), Chris Owens (production manager), Garrett Steinke (lighting designer), and Xavier Lagunas (sound designer)

Dandelion Theatre, founded in 2014 by Katherine Lamb, is committed to creating experiences that inspire and vitalize artists and audience members alike. They seek to attain this by cultivating community, fostering the artistic process, and valuing truthful discourse.