Rivendell Theatre Ensemble to Premiere LOOK, WE ARE BREATHING, 4/2-5/16

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (RTE), Chicago's only Equity theatre dedicated to producing new work with women at the core, announces the second production of its 20th Anniversary Season, the world premiere of Look, we are breathing, written by Chicago playwright Laura Jacqmin and directed by Megan Shuchman. The production runs April 2-May 16, 2015, at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, 5779 N. Ridge Avenue in Chicago. The press opening is Saturday, April 11, 2015, at 7:00pm.

Those who die young are mourned for their lost potential. But what if Mike, a high school hockey player killed while driving drunk, never really showed much potential? While sorting through their own deeply conflicted feelings in the aftermath of the accident, his mother Alice, his AP English teacher Leticia, and his one-time hookup, Caylee, try to understand who Mike was - and who he might have become. In Look, we are breathing, Chicago playwright Laura Jacqmin turns her unblinking eye on the grieving process as the three most important women in Mike's life realize that in order to move on, they might first have to confront some hard truths about themselves.

Look, we are breathing was developed at the Sundance Institute Theatre Lab on Governors Island, NYC.

"Over the past 20 years, Rivendell has emerged as a haven for new work with women at the core here in Chicago. When Laura and Megan first approached me with Look, we are breathing, I knew immediately it would be the perfect centerpiece in our 20th Anniversary season as we focused on challenging our own personal biases and took a deep look into what lies behind our default societal perceptions and knee-jerk ideas about right versus wrong," comments RTE Artistic Director Tara Mallen, who plays Alice. "The opportunity to collaborate with such a dynamic artistic team-and the incredible bonus of having Laura with us in the room developing the script alongside us-seemed an opportunity not to be missed. I am delighted to add Look We Are Breathing to list of world and regional premieres mounted by RTE over the years."

The cast of Look, we are breathing includes: RTE Artistic Director Tara Mallen, Brendan Meyer, Brenann Stacker, and Lily Mojekwu.

The core design team includes: RTE members Diane Fairchild (lighting) and Janice Pytel (costumes), as well as Chris Kriz (sound) Mike Mroch (scenic) and Jamie Karas (props).

The Look, we are breathing Production Sponsor is The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation.

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