Profiles Theatre Presents World Premiere of Neil LaBute's Revised IN THE COMPANY OF MEN, Now thru 6/30

Profiles Theatre Artistic Directors Darrell W. Cox and Joe Jahraus present the World premiere of Resident Artist Neil LaBute's revised stage version of In the Company of Men, opening at The Main Stage, 4139 N. Broadway. In the Company of Men, directed by Profiles Resident Artist and Steppenwolf ensemble member Rick Snyder, runs tonight, May 10-June 30, 2013. The press opening is on Thursday, May 16 at 8:00pm.

The previously announced production of Neil LaBute's The Break of Noon will be performed at a later date, to be announced.

Profiles Theatre presents the professional debut production of Neil LaBute's revised stage play, In the Company of Men. The script, performed in various incarnations as a play at earlier stages of LaBute's writing career as both a student and otherwise, was eventually made into the acclaimed film released in 1997 launching the careers of star Aaron Eckhart and Neil LaBute as a filmmaker and playwright. When it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, In the Company of Men created a firestorm of controversy with wildly divergent yet passionate opinions. It received the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay, the Filmmaker's Trophy at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival and The New York Film Critics Award for Best First Feature.

Two frustrated young executives vent their pent-up rage via a childish prank and end up paying a price in the psychological dark comedy, In the Company of Men. Former college buddies Chad and Howard, now in their late 20s, work for the same company. When the two begin expressing their mutual frustration regarding their lack of rapid advancement at work and their recent bad luck with women, they hatch a nasty scheme to be enacted over an upcoming six-week-long business trip: Find a vulnerable young woman to court, slather with affection, and then callously dump. They choose a lovely, hearing-impaired typist named Christine, but soon their scheme creates escalating tension and psychological games not only with hapless Christine, but also with each other.

Resident Artist and Steppenwolf ensemble member Rick Snyder directs the World premiere production of the revised script of In the Company of Men following his acclaimed Profiles productions of A Behanding in Spokane, reasons to be pretty and the Jeff Award-winning Killer Joe (Production, Director, Principal Actor). Casting to be announced.

"I'm so excited to be putting this early work of mine into the hands of my trusted collaborators over at Profiles Theatre," says playwright Neil LaBute. "The film was a fantastic experience for me personally, but I've always hoped that the script would make its way back to the stage. I've truly enjoyed the creative process of adapting the original play for the screen and now turning it back into a play again. I think it's in perfect hands with Joe, Darrell and Rick. I feel that these characters will still resonate with audiences and I know that Profiles will take In the Company of Men for the ride that it deserves--they never pull punches at Profiles and I love the artistic relationship that we have fostered together over the past few seasons. I consider myself a lucky man to still get work done regularly in Chicago and I believe I have a genuine home for that work at Profiles."

Profiles 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 followed by the Midwest premiere of The Mercy Seat in 2009 and the Chicago premiere of reasons to be pretty in 2011. Last season, Profiles produced the American premiere of In a Forest, Dark and Deep as the inaugural production of their newest venue, The Main Stage. The playwright twice participated in benefit evenings of readings and conversation to support the theatre's productions.

The stage version of In The Company of Men is produced by special arrangement with LaBute's longtime collaborator and one of the film's original producers, Stephen Pevner of Stephen Pevner, Inc and Company One Productions.

Profiles, currently in rehearsal for the Midwest premiere of The Dream of The Burning Boy by David West Read, opens the production at its original home, The Alley Stage, 4147 N. Broadway, January 21, 2013. The company's critically acclaimed 20th Anniversary production of Hellcab by Will Kern continues its extended run at The Main Stage through January 27, 2013.

Tickets for this limited run of In the Company of Men are $35 for Thursdays, $40 for Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. A two show Flex Pass is currently available for two admissions to both The Dream of the Burning Boy and In the Company of Men for $100 when purchased before January 31, 2013.

Tickets are available by phone, (773) 549-1815, or online, www.profilestheatre.org. Performances are Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 5:00 and 8:00 pm, Sundays at 7:00 p.m. Profiles Theatre, The Main Stage, is located at 4139 N. Broadway.

Profiles Theatre, founded in 1988 by Artistic Director Joe Jahraus, joined shortly thereafter by Artistic Director Darrell W. Cox, was formed as an actor-driven theatre ensemble dedicated to creating provocative and emotionally truthful productions. Passionate about shaping an original vision for new works, they focused on performing World, American and Midwest premieres as well as rarely performed plays. Critically acclaimed hits, such as BLACKBIRD, FAT PIG, GRACELAND and the multiple Jeff Award-winning KILLER JOE, established Profiles as a destination for challenging and edgy theatre. Their unique collaboration with playwright Neil LaBute led the ensemble to perform an entire season of his plays in 2007-2008. Now a Resident Artist at Profiles, LaBute remains an unequivocal artistic influence on the ensemble.

After performing at 4147 North Broadway for more than two decades, Profiles acquired an adjacent theatre at 4139 North Broadway in 2012. Profiles' new theatre, The Main Stage, with its larger seating capacity, increased performance space and higher ceilings, accommodates more ambitious and technically demanding productions. Their long-time venue, renamed The Alley Stage, continues as the home for plays strengthened by a more intimate staging. Driven by an undiminished appetite for creating honest and resonant theatre, Profiles still seeks to present work that illuminates the determination and resiliency of the human spirit.

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