Kokandy Productions' LOVING REPEATING Begins Tonight at Theater Wit

Kokandy Productions will continue its 2015 season with LOVING REPEATING, a musical tribute to the life and loves of celebrated American author Gertrude Stein. Using Stein's own works as lyrics, LOVING REPEATING is adapted by Frank Galati (The Grapes of Wrath, The Accidental Tourist), with music by Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime, Once on This Island, Seussical) direction by Co-Artistic Director Allison Hendrix, music direction by Resident Music Director Kory Danielson and choreography by Andrea Louise Soule. LOVING REPEATING will play tonight, July 18, through August 30, 2015 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.kokandyproductions.com, by calling (773) 975-8150 or in person at the Theater Wit Box Office. The press opening is Monday, July 20 at 7:30 pm.

LOVING REPEATING will feature Caron Buinis as Gertrude Stein, Amanda Giles as Young Gertrude and Emily Goldberg as Alice B. Toklas with an ensemble including Sarah Hayes, Andrew Lund, Jake Morrissy, Maisie Rose, Stephanie Stockstill and George Toles.

LOVING REPEATING is an intimate exploration of Gertrude Stein's legacy, setting her unconventional creative passions against the backdrop of her lifelong relationship with Alice B. Toklas. From her student days in the late 19th century to the height of her artistic era in Paris as one of the 'lost generation,' LOVING REPEATING pays homage to Stein's capricious love affair with language, self-expression and her lifelong romance with Toklas.

Comments Co-Artistic Director Allison Hendrix, "Gertrude Stein's language, inherently musical, reaches new life with Stephen Flaherty's compositions. Loving Repeating is at turns silly, romantic, hilarious, exuberant, still - an enthusiastic celebration of life, love and art."

The production team for LOVING REPEATING includes: Ashley Ann Woods (scenic design), Kate Setzer Kamphausen (costume design), Cat Wilson (lighting design), Jenna Moran (sound design), John Buranosky (props design), Hannah Friedman (assistant director) and Jessica Forella (stage manager).

Photo by Jeff Meyer