Irish Theatre of Chicago's MY BRILLIANT DIVORCE to Run 10/7-11/1

Irish Theatre of Chicago is pleased to launch its 2015-16 Season with the Midwest premiere of Geraldine Aron's touching and comedic one-woman show MY BRILLIANT DIVORCE, directed by Siiri Scott and featuring ensemble member Barbara Figgins*. MY BRILLIANT DIVORCE will play October 7 - November 1, 2015 at Chief O'Neill's Pub & Restaurant, 3471 N. Elston Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.irishtheatreofchicago.org. The press opening is Thursday, October 8 at 7:30 pm.

The hilarious and moving story of Angela, recently deserted by her husband for a younger woman, as she sets out to survive and enjoy a life on her own. In a world of surly solicitors, "Lonely Hearts" dates, help line counselors and a myriad of self-diagnosed diseases, does Angela fight to keep her husband... or just move on? A Midwest premiere by one of Ireland's leading female playwrights.

*Denotes ensemble member of Irish Theatre of Chicago

BIOGRAPHIES

Geraldine Aron (Playwright) was born in Galway but spent most of her adult life in Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. She now divides her time between Cape Town and London. Aron is the author of twelve plays produced for television and radio, and Toscanini, a screenplay directed by Franco Zeffirelli. Plays not listed in the Irish Playography include Mr McConkey's Suitcase, Zombie, Mickey Kannis Caught My Eye, Same Old Moon, Spider, The Donahue Sisters, The Stanley Parkers and Joggers. Her hugely acclaimed one-woman show, My Brilliant Divorce, has been performed all over the world and was nominated for an Olivier Award in 2004. She is also the past winner of two Edinburgh Fringe Firsts, for Bar and Ger and A Galway Girl, respectively.

Siiri Scott (Director) is the Head of Acting and Directing at the University of Notre Dame in the Department of Film, Television and Theatre, where she has taught acting, voice and movement and directed shows for the last 18 years. She currently focuses on preparing students for professional training. She worked with the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival for six years, both as an actor (Queen in Cymbeline) and as their voice and dialect coach. Recently Siiri moved back to Chicago to continue her professional work and commutes back to Notre Dame to teach. A graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul, she has worked locally with Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and Lifeline Theatre and hosted the KidsWB Network for WCIU. Regional work includes a stint in Los Angeles where she appeared on City of Angels; Milwaukee, where she performed in The Kentucky Cycle and co-directed Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry; and Seattle, where she worked with Theatre Babylon, Book-it Repertory Theatre and Seattle Children's Theatre. In 2009 she joined Theatre Nohgaku, an international Noh theatre company, as a performing member.

Barbara Figgins (Angela) has been an ensemble member with Irish Theater of Chicago (formerly Seanachai Theatre Company) since 2005 and has appeared in In Pigeon House, The Shadow of a Gunman, Dancing at Lughnasa, Our Father, Scenes From the Big Picture, WAR and Bold Girls. Recent credits include Gingy in Love, Loss and What I Wore at First Folio Theatre, Pam in the world premiere of Ike Holter's Exit Strategy with Jackalope Theatre and Miss Tesman in Hedda Gabler at Writers Theatre. Other Chicago credits include Richard III (Oak Park Festival Theatre), The History Boys (Timeline, Jeff Award Best Ensemble), Cherrywood (Mary-Arrchie), Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer, The Rip Nelson Halloween Spooktacular (Hell in a Handbag), Iphegenia at Aulis (Lights Out), Twelfth Night (City Lit) Othello, Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Taming of the Shrew, Julius Caesar (A Crew of Patches), What's Wrong With Angry, Nine (Circle Theatre), Sin: A Cardinal Deposed, Southern Baptist Sissies (Baliwick Repertory). Barbara has also worked with Victory Gardens, Remy Bumppo, Next Theatre and Collaboraction and is a graduate of Northwestern University.

Irish Theatre of Chicago (formerly Seanachaí Theatre Company) is supported in part by The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation, The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council and The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs: City Arts Program.