Photos: The Artistic Home Presents DYING FOR IT By Moira Buffini
The work is freely adapted from Nikolai Erdman's The Suicide – a 1928 satire that was banned by Stalin before it ever took the stage.
The Artistic Home presents Moira Buffini's comedy Dying For It, directed by Monica Payne, playing March 18 - April 23, 2023 at The Den's Bookspan Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. Tickets are now on sale at thedentheatre.com or by calling (773) 697-3830. The press opening is Thursday, March 23 at 8 pm.
The cast includes ensemble members Kayla Adams*, Reid Coker*, Kristin Collins*, Brookelyn Hébert*, John LaFlamboy*, Kathy Scambiatterra* and Todd Wojcik* with Jared Goudsmit, Daniel Shtivelberg, Mary Spencer, Patrick Thornton and Carolyn Waldee.
Freely adapted from Nikolai Erdman's The Suicide - a 1928 satire that was banned by Stalin before it ever took the stage - Dying for It is a modernized take on the same dark buffoonery and fallacies of post-revolution life. In this tragedy-turned-slapstick, Semyon is a young unemployed man who has an obsessive itch to commit suicide. A ragtag team of early Soviet Russian society consisting of a dissatisfied intellectual, a boisterous romantic, a questionable priest, a controversial writer and a proletarian postman all team up to gain a martyred profit off of Semyon offing himself.
Comments Director Monica Payne, "I am thrilled to be directing this sharp-witted, ensemble-driven satire, which feels as relevant today in Moira Buffini's adaptation Dying For It as it did in Nikolai Erdman's original Russian text, The Suicide. Although ostensibly about a character who's trying to kill himself, the play is actually about LIFE. It poses a vital, simple question: Why live? My hope is that we can bring this question to a modern audience with humor, honesty, and compassion, and look for the answer(s) together."
The production team includes Kevin Hagan+ (Scenic Designer), Rachel Lambert (Costume Designer), Mark Bracken Jr.+ (Lighting Designer), Petter Wahlbäck+ (Sound Designer), Randy Rozler (Props Designer), Jenna Steege Ramey* (Assistant Director), Tom McNelis+ (Technical Director) and Andrew Snyder (Stage Manager).
COVID safety: As the Chicago theatre community continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, The Den Theatre remains committed to the safety of its patrons and staff. For the most up-to-date information on the venue's COVID precautions, please visit thedentheatre.com/covid19-policy.
*Denotes The Artistic Home ensemble members +Denotes The Artistic Home artistic associates
Photo Credit: Joe Mazza/Brave Lux
Daniel Shtivelberg, Kayla Adams and Kathy Scambiatterra
Kayla Adams, Kristin Collins and Todd Wojcik
Brookelyn Hébert and Daniel Shtivelberg
Daniel Shtivelberg and the cast of Dying For It.
Kathy Scambiatterra, Daniel Shtivelberg, Brookelyn Hébert, Patrick Thornton, Carolyn Waldee and Mary Spencer
Kristin Collins, Kayla Adams, Todd Wojcik and Kathy Scambiatterra
Kathy Scambiatterra and Patrick Thornton
John LaFlamboy and Daniel Shtivelberg
Daniel Shtivelberg and Kayla Adams
Daniel Shtivelberg and the cast of Dying For It.
Kayla Adams, Reid Coker and Todd Wojcik
Mary Spencer and Carolyn Waldee
Kathy Scambiatterra and John LaFlamboy
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