'Lesbians Who Kill' – Bailiwick Theatre

Bailiwick's Second Sex Series Presents the Chicago Premiere of the

Lesbians Who Kill

Lesbians Who Kill is a satirical gender-bending look at what might motivate women–lesbians in particular–to become killers. Through musical numbers, parody and memorable movie moments, this imaginative, unconventional play aggressively explores anger, sexism and violent impulses. It is the final performance of Bailiwick's Second Sex Series (which features women in prominence) for 2007-08.

Previews for Lesbians Who Kill are Friday, June 27 at 8 p.m., Saturday, June 28 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 29 at 6 p.m. Preview tickets are $15. The show opens Monday, June 30 at 7:00 p.m.  Tickets are $25 and include a reception following the performance. Regular performance times are Thursday and Friday evenings at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday at 3:00 p.m. through July 27. There is a special Wednesday night performance on July 23 at 8:00. Tickets are $20 on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday and $25 Saturday.

Playwright/collaborators Deb Margolin, Peggy Shaw and Lois Weaver have been transforming the landscape of queer performance since the 1980 debut of the Shaw/Weaver-written Split Britches, which was produced in 1988 for PBS.  

Their two actor tour-de-force will be directed at Bailiwick by Lauren Love, PhD in theatre history/criticism, and L. M. Attea, former artistic associate at Minneapolis' Outward Spiral Theatre Co. The production features Lisa Cordileone and Tiffany Albers-Lopez.

According to co-director Love, "If the popular media—from Hollywood to the pop song to print journalism—have equated lesbian desire with gender confusion and murderous impulses, May and June, the butch-femme fatales of Lesbians Who Kill,  grab hold of the images meant to malign them and seek new powers through them. Created by renowned feminist ensemble 'Split Britches', Lesbians Who Kill sends up film noir, sappy love songs and the sensational coverage of the Aileen Wuornos serial killer case that created a special kind of monster: the 'oversexed lesbian psychopath.' Exploring the limits of their long-term relationship, the play's dynamic duo lip synch, drag it up, sing, dance, kill time and fantasize – with avenging force – about becoming killers."

Co-director L.M. Attea adds, "Particularly in this political season of high media scrutiny, as we pay special attention to the candidates' images, women's embodiment of power has been constructed and reconstructed before our eyes. As May and June try to identify themselves with the "real" serial killing couple Aileen Wuornos and Tyria Moore, they open space for the femme lesbian to pick up a .22 and aim it at a society that continues to allow violence against women as the norm. They summon women's rage-filled right to resist.  They say, 'Bring it on and we'll give it back to you—right between the eyes.'" 

The Lesbians Who Kill production team includes Set Designer James Ogden, Lighting Designer Kyle Anderson, Costume Designer Darcy Hofer, Choreographer Debra Giunta, and Composer Scott Lamberty. Stage Manager is Paul Cosca.

Inspired by Simone de Beauvoir's groundbreaking book, the Second Sex Series was inaugurated in January, 2007 with performance artist Karen Finley's one-woman show, The Dreams of Laura Bush/The Passion of Terri Schiavo, followed by a run of The Oldest Profession by Paula Vogel, a production of one-act plays Penchants and Fantasies -- Personal Penchants by Barbara Lhota and The List by Linda Suzuki followed by Sunday on the Rocks by Theresa Rebeck.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for individuals, businesses and corporations who wish to support Bailiwick's 2SS initiative by underwriting this showcase for art that gives women prominence.

For reservations and further information, phone the Bailiwick Box Office at (773) 883-1090 or order on-line at www.bailiwick.org.

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