InFusion Theatre Company Presents Creepy Puppets In RHYMES WITH EVIL 10/5-11/8

InFusion Theatre Company, in association with Chicago DCA Theater, presents the Midwest premiere of Rhymes With Evil. Written by Charles R. Traeger and directed by InFusion Artistic Director Mitch Golob, the production comes to Chicago DCA Theater's Storefront Theater at 66 E. Randolph Street, from October 5 - November 8, 2009. Members of the press are invited to the opening performance on Thursday, October 8, at 7:30 p.m.

Rhymes With Evil brings creepy puppets and visual spectacle to a very human tale of an imaginative and inventive stay-at-home dad. In his Midwest farm house, Lathan Kane creates a beautiful yet bizarre world of puppets, costumed characters and fanciful stories for his young daughter Jenny. But all is not what it seems in this suspense-filled and disturbing tale of love, loss, and danger appropriate for adult audiences in the Halloween season.

Performances are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 3 p.m. For Halloween weekend, the performances on October 30 and 31 will be at a later and scarier 10 p.m. rather than 7:30 p.m. Post-show discussions will follow the performances on Thursday, October 15, and Sunday, October 25.

Tickets for Rhymes With Evil are $25 for general admission, $15 for seniors and students. The preview performances on October 5, 6, and 7 cost $15. Discounts are available for Chicago Cultural Center Mosaic Members, military personnel, theater industry affiliates, and large groups. All tickets are available by calling 312.742.TIXS (8497), visiting www.dcatheater.org, or stopping by the box office, open Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m.; Sundays, noon to 4 p.m.; and one hour prior to each performance.

Cast and Production Team
Rhymes With Evil features Caroline Heffernan as young Jenny Kane and Andy Luther as her father Lathan Kane, as well as Victoria Gilbert as Sara, Andy Baldeschwiler as Jim, and Cynthia Castiglione as Agnes.

The show's production team includes InFusion ensemble members Mitch Golob (Director), Tara Malpass (Stage Manager), and Jamie Bragg (Dramaturg), with guest artists MerEdith Miller (Puppetry Design), Keith Pitts (Set Design), Charlie Cooper (Lighting design), Miles Polaski (Sound Design), Amy Gabbert (Costume Design), and Dawn Myrie (Props Design). Other production team members include Elayne LeTraunik (Production Manager) and Charlie Olson (Technical Director).

Born and raised in Springfield, Illinois, playwright Charles Traeger studied playwriting and directing at Southern Illinois State University. His play Rhymes With Evil first appeared as Love Gifts at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, the New York Theatre Workshop, and the Philadelphia Drama Guild. It has since been performed under the new title at the American Stage Festival in New Hampshire and in several readings in New York City. The playwright is excited that the play will receive its Midwest premiere in his home state.

InFusion Theatre Company seeks out new plays to organically "infuse" them with other elements of entertainment such as music, dance, and film. In creating dynamic performances with different forms of entertainment, InFusion crafts exciting and thought-provoking new works as well as reinvented classics. Recent productions include the Midwest premiere of Intrigue With Faye by Kate Robin, the world premiere of Créole by M.E.H. Lewis, and the United States premiere of The Last Supper by Dan Rosen.

The Storefront Theater and the Studio Theater, its companion theater located in the Chicago Cultural Center at 77 E. Randolph Street, comprise Chicago DCA Theater, an anchor of the downtown theater district. Chicago DCA Theater offers downtown audiences an off-Loop theater experience with an exciting look at the vibrant emerging theater companies that call Chicago home. Proposals for creative and innovative productions for the July to December 2010 season are now being accepted until October 15, 2009.

Discounted parking is available at Wabash Randolph Self Park at 20 E. Randolph. Patrons can receive the $14 rate by validating their ticket at the Storefront Theater box office.

For more information about InFusion Theatre Company's Rhymes With Evil and Chicago DCA Theater, call 312.742.TIXS (8497) or visit www.dcatheater.org. The enhanced website features more about DCA Theater performances and programs, including a blog, photo galleries, and visitor information. More information on InFusion Theatre Company can be found at www.infusiontheatre.com.

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