Dashnight Productions to Premiere CHOPS, 7/7-8/14

Directed by Jeff Award Winner Richard Shavzin and written by Chicago playwright Michael Rychlewski, this quintessentially Chicago play tells the story of three middle-aged jazz freaks, who were Kings of Rush Street at its peak in the 50's and 60's. The only problem is that it's 1984 and those glory days are gone. Vince, an ex-Rush street bartender, has opened his own joint, but he's losing money and things are tense. Walt drops by with the young and sexy jazz aficionado, Kaki, in tow to show off Vince's ultimate jazz jukebox. Walt's recently done some time and wants to prove that he's still got the chops. Out of the blue, Philly appears. This troubled old friend hasn't been seen in nine months and there are rumors of unpaid juice loans. But he appears natty, witty, and flush. Walt and Philly vie for Kaki's attention as a night fueled by booze, jazz and clever banter descends into wheels within wheels and lies within lies.

CHOPS is a potent cocktail of jazz, frayed friendships, and testosterone.

CHOPS stars Jeff Award Winner Randy Steinmeyer as "Walt" (A Steady Rain at the Royal George & Chicago Dramatists; The Tempest at Missouri Rep; Man and Superman at Body Politic); four-time Jeff Award Winner Larry Neumann, Jr. as "Vince" (The Iceman Cometh at the Goodman Theatre; The Cider House Rules I and II at Famous Door Theatre; A Moon For the Misbegotten at First Folio); Danny Sullivan as "Philly" (Le Damnation de Faust at the Lyric Opera Chicago, Othello at Court Theater, Prelude to a Kiss at Fox Theatricals); and Clare Cooney as "Kaki" (Beautiful Autistic at Chicago Dramatists; Mr. Burns, a post electric play at Theater Wit).

The artistic team is led by set designer Grant Sabin, lighting designer Benjamin L White, costume designer Brenda Winstead, sound designer Barry Bennett, and props designer Christopher Neville.

Performances for CHOPS are Thursday at 8:00 p.m. Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 3:00 p.m. from July 7 through August 14 at Theater Wit, Stage 1, 1229 W. Belmont. Tickets are $35.00 for full admission and $25.00 for seniors and students. Group discounts are available. For tickets call: 773-975-8150 or visit www.theaterwit.org.

Dashnight Productions is a Chicago-based theater production company.

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