LAURA AND THE SEA Comes to Rivendell

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (RTE), Chicago's only Equity theatre dedicated to producing new work with women at the core, presents the world premiere of Laura and the Sea by Kate Tarker, directed by Devon de Mayo. Laura and the Sea, an unhappy comedy, runs October 25 - December 8, 2019 at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, 5779 N. Ridge Avenue in Chicago. The press opening is Monday, November 4, at 7:00pm

It's company outing day, and Laura, one of the top travel agents of her generation, is having the best/worst day of her life. So much so that she decides to end it all. Afterward, her colleagues try to piece things together on a memorial blog, but how do you mourn someone you didn't know that well? A comedy about depression, or: a treatise on travel agents who don't travel.

"Laura and the Sea is truly one of the funniest and yet quietly devastating plays I have ever read. I fell in love with the flawed and totally relatable characters that Kate has drawn, and so enjoy how the play delves into our rarely-examined relationships at our jobs-the people we work with every day, spend so much of our time with-yet sometimes don't really know at all. Collaborating with Kate on this quirky and structurally innovative world premiere with Devon de Mayo (director of RTE's Scientific Method and VG's If I Forget) at the helm, presents an exciting challenge and we cannot wait to begin the process," comments Artistic Director Tara Mallen.

The cast includes RTE members Tara Mallen (Laura), Mark Ulrich (Jack), and Paula Ramirez (Mary), with Jordan Arredondo (Joe), Adithi Chandrashekar (Annie), and Alex Gillmor (Stan).

The creative team includes Devon de Mayo (director and movement director) Heather Sparling (lighting design), Tony Churchill (projections), Courtney O'Neill (scenic), Hannah Foersch (sound design), kClare McKellaston (costume design), Jonathan Berg-Einhorn (assistant scenic and properties design), Gaby Sant'Anna (dramaturg and assistant director) and Catherine Allen (production manager).

Rivendell's Town Hall Series

During the run of each production, Rivendell hosts Town Hall Discussions after select Saturday matinees. These are an essential touchstone for our organization to extend the conversation from the stage to the community. Panelists help field questions, present observations, and participate in supporting a thoughtful, in-depth dialogue for all involved. Audience participants need not be present for the Saturday matinee and are welcome to join the conversation following the performance.

Box Office: (773) 334-7728 or www.RivendellTheatre.org