GREY GARDENS to Open at Big Noise Theatre Next Week

Big Noise Theatre is opening their 2024 season with GREY GARDENS: THE MUSICAL (book by Doug Wright, music by Scott Frankel, and lyrics by Michael Korie) this January in Des Plaines, IL., right outside of Chicago next week.

Based on the film Grey Gardens by David Maysles, Albert Maysles, Ellen Hovde, Muffie Mayer and Susan Froemke, GREY GARDENS is the hilarious and heartbreaking story of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's eccentric and upper-class aunt and cousin, Big Edie and Little Edie Bouvier Beale, who became East Hampton's most notorious recluses. Selected in 2010 by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and topping PBS list of 100 Greatest Documentary Films of All Time in 2012, GREY GARDENS is an iconic piece of American history that examines the relationship between mother and daughter in 1941 when the Bouvier Beale family was at its prime, as well as showing us their world in 1973 amidst the decay of their once beautiful estate. GREY GARDENS has been produced internationally since its Broadway premiere in 2006, earning 10 Tony nominations and 2 wins for Christine Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson

The production will be performed at Prairie Lakes Community Center, located at 515 East Thacker Street Des Plaines, IL 60016. The show opens Friday, January 12th, 2024 at 7:30pm, with performances following on Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30pm and Sunday afternoons at 2:00pm until January 28, 2024. The production is directed by Erin Sheets (she/her), with music direction by Johanna Moffitt (they/any) and choreography by Hannah Ottenfeld (they/she).

The cast includes Gretchen Wood Kimmeth (she/her) in a tour-de-force performance, starring as both Edith Bouvier Beale in Act One and “Little” Edie Beale in Act Two. She is joined alongside Kim Buck (she/her) as Edith Beale, Mackenzie Maples (she/her) as “Little” Edie Beale/Sister Marla, Travis Monroe Neese (he/him) as George Gould Strong, Benjamin Mills (he/him) as Joseph Kennedy Jr./Jerry, Kevin T. Kirkpatrick (he/him) as Major Bouvier/Rev. Norman Vincent Peale, Emily Thornton (she/her) as Jackie Bouvier, Sophie Tucker (she/her) as Lee Bouvier, and Lewis R. Jones (he/him) as Brooks Sr./Brooks Jr. Understudies include Genevieve Corkery (she/her) and Gayle Starr (she/her).

The production team includes Brandii Champagne (they/any, Scenic Design), Martha Shuford (she/her, Costume Design), Alec Kinastowski (he/him, Lighting Design), Kody Burkemper (they/them, Sound Design), Al Joritz (he/him, Props Design), Roberto Puig (he/him, Hair and Wig Design), Matthew Klinger (he/him, Technical Director), Barry Irving (he/him, Dialect Coach), Zac Thriffiley (he/him, Dramaturg), Erin Versosky (she/her, Stage Manager), Scott Spector (he/him, Assistant Stage Manager), and Ray Mindas (he/him, Producer).

Director Erin Sheets says of the musical, “Famous recluses Edith and Edie Beale were so much more than that - they were outcasts, matriarchs, dreamers, and the ultimate pretenders. Serving as both a humorous comedy of manners and a dark cautionary tale, Grey Gardens dances on a very blurry line between past and present, memory and reality, challenging all of us to ask ourselves where dreams end and delusions begin.”

Tickets are $35 for adults, $30 for seniors (aged 65+) and students, and $25 for children (12 and under). Tickets are on sale now at the Big Noise Theatre website: bignoise.org/greygardens

 

GREY GARDENS: THE MUSICAL

Book by Doug Wright

Music by Scott Frankel

Lyrics by Michael Korie

Based on the film Grey Gardens by David Maysles, Albert Maysles, Ellen Hovde, Muffie Mayer and Susan Froemke

 

Directed by Erin Sheets

Music Direction by Johanna Moffitt

Choreography by Hannah Ottenfeld

 

Based on the beloved documentary, GREY GARDENS is the hilarious and heartbreaking story of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's eccentric and upper-class aunt and cousin, Big Edie and Little Edie Bouvier Beale, who became East Hampton's most notorious recluses.

Friday and Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2:00pm from January 12 - 28, 2024. Tickets and more information available at the link below.

 

ABOUT BIG NOISE THEATRE

WINNETKA THEATRE: 1973 – 2005

Winnetka Community Theatre, successor-in-spirit to the Winnetka Drama Guild that counted the young Charlton Heston among its casts in the 1940s, mounted its first show in 1973, thanks in large part to the efforts of one man, Rolf Blank. From producing and directing to acting on the stage, Rolf provided the necessary spark, energy, and outstanding leadership. Doug Diggs then became the driving force behind the continued success and artistic growth of the company, which underwent a name change to Winnetka Theatre.

When the Winnetka Community House underwent a significant renovation, we had to move our productions to another space for a few seasons and were fortunate to find the excellent stage at the Des Plaines Prairie Lakes Community Center. As we developed a following in that area, we decided to relocate permanently.

BIG NOISE THEATRE: 2005 – Present

By the 2005-2006 season, we decided that a new name was in order and chose Big Noise Theatre.The company's relationship with Winnetka and the Winnetka Community House is ongoing. We produced our first "especially for kids" show in 2005 and spent many hours at the Winnetka Community House rehearsing for the shows of both companies due to the excellent support we continue to receive from the Winnetka Community House staff.

Nancy Flaster served as the company's Artistic Director for many years and provided the leadership that encouraged us to aspire to even greater heights as we managed our winter weekend "Especially For Kids" shows under the Winnetka Theatre name at the Winnetka Community House and our 3-show season in Des Plaines under the Big Noise Theatre name.

Remarkable among area theatres, Winnetka Theatre/Big Noise Theatre remains an independent entity, not affiliated or supported by any Park District. It is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Though now competing for an audience with TV, movies, and surfing the Web, we still firmly believe in the importance of live theatre, not only as an outlet for the creative talent in the community, but as an artistic enterprise capable of entertaining, informing, and inspiring its audience.

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