Haven Theatre Company to Present SEMINAR, 3/3-4/13

Haven Theatre Company presents the third show in their inaugural season, the Chicago premiere of Seminar, a provocative comedy written by Pulitzer Prize nominee Theresa Rebeck and directed by Marti Lyons, Monday, March 3 - Sunday, April 13 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. Preview performances are Feb, 27, 28, March 1 and 2 at 8 p.m. and are $20. Opening/Press night is Monday, March 3 at 8 p.m. Regular performances occur Thursdays - Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. and are $32. Senior tickets are $25 and Industry/Student tickets are $10. Tickets may be purchased by visiting www.theaterwit.org or by calling the box office at 773.975.8150. For more information, go to www.haventheatrechicago.com.

In Seminar, four aspiring young novelists sign up for private writing classes with Leonard (Tom Hickey), an international literary figure. Under his recklessly brilliant and unorthodox instruction, some thrive and others flounder, alliances are made and broken, sex is used as a weapon, and hearts are unmoored. The wordplay is not the only thing that turns vicious as innocence collides with experience in this biting comedy.

The cast for Seminar includes: Tom Hickey (Leonard), Mary Williamson (Kate), Keith Neagle (Martin), Atra Asdou (Izzy) and Carl Lindberg (Douglas).

The production team for Seminar includes: Marti Lyons (director), Lexie Higgins (stage manager), Garvin Jellison (production manager), Jeffrey Glass (production manager), Gordon Granger (technical director), Joanne Iwanicka (scenic designer), Michael Stanfill (lighting designer), Chris Kriz (sound designer), Kristin DeiTos (costume designer), Andrea Awad (props designer) and John Kelly (master electrician).

Marti Lyons most recently directed The Peacock by Calamity West with Jackalope Theatre, A Good Dive by Puja Mohindra for the United Solo Theatre Festival in New York City, 9 Circles by Bill Cain for Sideshow Theatre, Mine by Laura Marks at The Gift Theatre and a staged reading of Ike Holter's Prowess for the Goodman Theatre's Playwrights Unit. She also directed the Chicago premiere of Jason Grote's Maria/Stuart with Sideshow Theatre, the world premiere of The Last Duck by Lucas Neff with Jackalope Theatre, the world premiere of Cities of Light at Piven Theatre Workshop and the Chicago premiere of Brainpeople by Jose Rivera. In 2013, Marti assistant directed for Jonathan Munby on Julius Caesar at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, as well as for Kimberly Senior on The Letters at Writers' Theatre and for Chay Yew on Oedipus El Rey through an SDCF Observership.

Haven Theatre Company was founded by Carol Cohen and Cody Estle. The company presents quality theater to Chicago audiences utilizing some of the most experienced and talented directors, designers and actors.

Haven Theatre Company presents the third show in their inaugural season, the Chicago premiere of Seminar directed by Marti Lyons, Monday, March 3 - Sunday, April 13 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. Preview performances are Feb, 27, 28, March 1 and 2 at 8 p.m. and are $20. Opening/Press night is Monday, March 3 at 8 p.m. Regular performances Thursdays - Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. and are $32. Senior tickets are $25 and Industry/Student tickets are $10. Tickets may be purchased by visiting www.theaterwit.org or by calling the box office at 773.975.8150. For more information, go to www.haventheatrechicago.com.

Photo by Lev Kalmens