Profiles Theatre Hosts An Evening With Neil LaBute 1/3/09

Chicago-Profiles Theatre, currently celebrating its 20th Anniversary Season, will host a benefit evening with acclaimed playwright and filmmaker Neil LaBute on Saturday, January 3, at Profiles Theatre, 4147 N. Broadway. The event will include a pre-show reception at 6:30 p.m., selected readings of LaBute's work at 7:30 p.m. and a post-show audience talkback and discussion with LaBute. Proceeds from the evening will benefit Profiles Theatre.

This one night-only event will feature Neil LaBute performing a selected reading from his newest work. Profiles will also present a reading from LaBute's acclaimed 2008 comedy-drama Reasons to Be Pretty, featuring Profiles ensemble members Darrell W. Cox and Somer Benson. Other highlights include a reading of LaBute's one-man show Wrecks by Steppenwolf ensemble member Robert Breuler. The evening will conclude with an audience talkback to discuss the playwright's work.

Reasons to Be Pretty was a huge success at Manhattan Class Company last summer, directed by Terry Kinney and will move to Broadway early next year. Wrecks had its world premiere in Ireland in 2005 and received a critically-acclaimed New York premiere in 2006, starring Ed Harris. This will be the first time any of these works have been presented in the Midwest.

There will be a reception with light hors d'oeuvres beginning at 6:30 p.m. and the evening of readings will begin at 7:30 pm.

Profiles will open its 2009-2010 season with one of Mr. LaBute's newest works, title to be announced soon. The theatre began its relationship with Neil LaBute in 2006 with the Midwest premiere of autobahn, followed by their long-running hit, Fat Pig. In 2007, Profiles devoted an entire season to the works of LaBute that included the Midwest premieres of In a Dark Dark House, Some Girl(s), This is How it Goes, and a collection of short works entitled Things We Said Today.

To celebrate the Profiles 20th Anniversary Season, each ticket purchased for An Evening with Neil LaBute: Live and In-Person will include a complimentary ticket to Profiles' next production, the Midwest premiere of Great Falls by Lee Blessing.

"Neil's uncompromising approach of confronting the ugly truths of human behavior and his unique use of language has become synonymous with Profiles," says Profiles Associate Artistic Director, Darrell W. Cox. "Our relationship with Neil and our dedication to his work has been the most fulfilling and defining moment in our 20-year history. This will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for audiences in Chicago to sit in the same room and hear from one of most unique and prolific writers of our generation."

Event: An Evening with Neil LaBute: Live and In-Person
Date: January 3, 2009
Time: Light hors d'oeuvres and reception beginning at
6:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m. performance
Location: Profiles Theatre
4147 N. Broadway, Chicago
Price: $50 each, includes a free ticket to the Midwest
Premiere of Great Falls by Lee Blessing, opening January 15, 2009
Tickets: 773-549-1815; proartdir@aol.com