Red Tape Theatre Presents ELEPHANT'S GRAVEYARD, Now thru 6/16

Red Tape Theatre presents ELEPHANT'S GRAVEYARD by George Brant, directed by James D Palmer, for previews 5/10-5/12, opening night on 5/14, and running until 6/16 at the Red Tape Theatre 621 W. Belmont, Chicago.

When The Sparks World Famous Circus pulls into the quiet town of Erwin Tennessee, the residents of the sleepy little hamlet can hardly contain their excitement. But when a member of the circus commits a gruesome murder, the townsfolk demand justice. ELEPHANT'S GRAVEYARD is the tragic story of a circus troupe caught in the cross-hairs of a small town in turn-of-the-century America. Historical fact and legend combine in this larger-than-life exploration of the deep-seated American craving for spectacle, violence and revenge. Featuring original music from Jonathan Gullien as performed by The New Switcheroo.

ELEPHANT'S GRAVEYARD will feature ensemble members Nicholas Combs, Carrie Drapac, Alex Kyger, Lona Livingston, Paul G Miller, Meghan Reardon, and Paige Sawin with Victor Allen, Jeffrey Gitelle, Todd Kiech, Peter Sipla, Sean Thomas, Nicole Rudakov, and Johnard Washington.

The production team is James D Palmer (Director) with ensemble members Emily Guthrie (Scenic Design), Kyle Land (Lighting Design) and Myah Shein (Choreography), with Jonathan Gullien (Composer), Izumi Inaba (Costume Design), Molly Mullen (Dramaturg), Ellen Ranney (Props Design), and John Rooney (Assistant Director).

James D Palmer directed and adapted Dog in a Manger (2008). Directing credits include The Gingerbread House (2012), Church/Pullman, WA (2011), The Love of the Nightingale (2010 Jeff Award for Best Direction, Nominations for Best Production, Best Choreography, Best Sound, Best Fight Choreography), Enemy of the People (2009), Pugilist Specialist (2008), Endgame(2007), Baden Lehrstuck (2007), FEP: Jesusland (2006), and FEP: Coriolanus (2006). Producing credits at Red Tape include Brand (2011), Tragedy: a tragedy (2011),Obscura: a voyeuristic love story (2010), Mouse in a Jar (2009 Jeff Award for Best Sound Design). Selected readings and workshops with Goodman Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, American Theatre Company, and TUTA Theatre.

George Brant: plays include Elephant’s Graveyard, Any Other Name, Grizzly Mama, The Mourners’ Bench, Three Voyages of the Lobotomobile, Defiant, Dark Room, Little Sir Echo, Good on Paper, Ashes, NOK, The Lonesome Hoboes, One Hand Clapping, Terminal One, The Royal Historian of Oz, Lovely Letters, Three Men in a Boat, Borglum! The Mount Rushmore Musical, Tights on a Wire and Night of the Mime. His work has been produced and developed by such companies as Trinity Repertory Company, the Kennedy Center, Cleveland Play House, the Playwrights Foundation, the Playwrights’ Center, Dobama Theatre, WordBRIDGE Playwright’s Lab, Florida Studio Theatre, ATHE, Premiere Stages,Trustus Theatre, Balagan Theatre, Elemental Theatre Collective, the Drama League, Debutantes and Vagabonds, Terrific New Theatre, the Disney Channel, Circle Theatre, Factory Theatre, StreetSigns Theatre Company, and zeppo theater company. His plays have been awarded the Keene Prize for Literature, the David Mark Cohen National Playwriting Award from the Kennedy Center, a citation of “Best New Play” from the Austin Critics’ Table, the Clauder Competition State Winner, a Playwright’s Center Core Apprentice Workshop, and the Premiere Stages New Plays Festival. He has received writing fellowships from the James A. Michener Center for Writers, the MacDowell Colony, the Djerassi Resident Artists Program and the Blue Mountain Center, and commissions from Dobama Theatre and Theatre 4.

The show runs with times Regular Run Thurs-Sat at 8pm, Sun at 3pm, Industry Night – 5/21 at 8pm. Tickets: $25 regular, $15 Student/Industry, $15 Preview - online at www.redtapetheatre.org or at the box office.