Photos: THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LENANE Opening Night

Launching its 19th season, Shattered Globe Theatre will presents Martin McDonagh's The Beauty Queen of Leenane, previewing January 13, opening January 16th and running through February 27, 2011, at the Athenaeum Theatre, Studio 2, 2936 N. Southport in Chicago. Steve Scott directs.

Filled with biting humor and unforgettable characters, The Beauty Queen of Leenane tells the story of Maureen, a sardonic 40-year-old Irishwoman, whose brash exterior masks an uncertain past. Embittered by years of servitude under her demanding mother, Maureen unexpectedly crosses paths with a man from her girlhood, who sparks the hope of escape and unleashes a series of events that disrupts the rural tranquility of County Connemara.

The performance schedule of The Beauty Queen of Leenane is Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are $32 for Friday and Saturday evening performances, $27 for Sunday matinees, and $25 for Thursday performances. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster at Ticketmaster.com and at 800-982-2787, as well as in person at the Athenaeum box office, open Tuesday-Friday, 3pm-7 pm.