Raven Theatre Presents THE LAST PAIR OF EARLIES World Premiere

Raven Theatre, Chicago's newest Equity-affiliated theatre, will welcome back live audiences this fall with the world premiere of Joshua Allen's The Last Pair of Earlies, directed by Tyla Abercrumbie.

This new drama, which follows the hardships and hopes of Wayland and Della Rose Early as they chase a sweet Southern dream on the South Side of Chicago, will play October 27 - December 12, 2021 on Raven's 85-seat East Stage, 6157 N. Clark St. (at Granville) in Chicago. Casting will be announced shortly.

Ever since he was a teenager in Mississippi, Wayland Early could count on two things - his talent for making handmade shoes, and the love of his bride, Della Rose. But danger forces them to flee north to Chicago. Before they know it, nearly two decades have passed, and both Wayland and Della find themselves increasingly unable to count on anything, including their marriage. As they each contend with the weight of their spent youth and unrealized dreams, a life-altering question comes to the surface: are we still enough for each other? Joshua Allen emerges from the award-winning writers' room of Empire with a hometown world premiere.

Comments Raven Artistic Director Cody Estle, "We are excited to welcome playwright Joshua Allen to our theater. Joshua is a Chicago native and will be joining us during the creative process and we look forward to introducing his work to Chicago's theater community and to our audiences. We are equally excited to open our doors and get back to doing what we do best - making plays!"

Raven Managing Director Markie Gray adds, "We will be keeping a close eye on city, state, and federal regulations regarding COVID-19, and will continue to trust and follow the advice and protocols of the CDC. The health and safety of our artists, staff, and audience are of the highest priority, and we're thankful in advance for your partnership in a safe return."

The production team includes Sydney Lynne (scenic design), Alex Rutherford (costume design), Sim Carpenter (lighting design), Jeffrey Levin (sound design), Caitlin McCarthy (props design), Jyreika Guest (intimacy director), Lynn Baber (casting director), Lorenzo Blackett (production manager)

Alan Weusthoff (technical director), Liz Gomez (master electrician), Eileen Rozycki (charge artist) and Wilhelm Peters (stage manager).

Single tickets and a variety of 2021-22 subscription packages are currently available at raventheatre.com or by calling (773) 338-2177.