Signal Ensemble Theatre Takes Up Permanent Residence and Announces 2010-2011 Season

Signal Ensemble Theatre announces their 2010-2011, 8th anniversary season, including a remount of their hit Rolling Stones' play AFTERMATH, as well as taking up residence in a permanent, leased venue in Chicago's North Center/Lincoln Square district. This 50- to 60-seat adjustable theatre located at 1802 West Berenice Avenue has been Signal's rehearsal space for the past three years (in addition to using offices and storage in the building), and the former Breadline Theatre will be renamed as Signal Ensemble Theatre.

Co-Artistic Director Ronan Marra said, "Signal Ensemble is pleased to finally have a permanent performance home on West Berenice via the generosity of our sponsor Productions Plus; in a great Chicago neighborhood serving our loyal patrons plus bringing in new audiences. For three years we've been solid tenants by rehearsing and keeping office space at the venue, so our landlord offered us the performance space as well. Signal plans to run our own three shows a year, plus renting to other companies. In our new home, Signal will be building seasons around themes to connect our diverse programming. Of late, we've gravitated more towards melancholic works, so for 2010-2011 we'll be offering lighter works, in addition to remounting our hit Rolling Stones jukebox musical AFTERMATH. With THE REAL INSPECTOR HOUND there's satire, absurdism and slapstick all at once. The political ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF AN ANARCHIST brings comedy's dark side to the forefront. And, in continuing our efforts to produce more new works, ACES is a classic dramedy, that's funny, moving, and thoughtful."

THE REAL INSPECTOR HOUND by Tom Stoppard, directed by co-artistic director Ronan Marra tells the story of Moon and Birdboot, two theater critics attending the premiere of a new murder mystery and are swept into the whodunit they are viewing. As Moon laments his status as a second-string reviewer, and Birdboot considers adultery with one of the shows actresses, they soon find themselves inside the play-within-a-play and implicated in the lethal activities of an escaped madman. In a hilarious send-up of Agatha Christie-style melodramas, Stoppard's 1968 play is just as rooted in absurdism as it is in satire. Kicking off Signal's "Season of Comedy," this play set in the theatre will appropriately open Signal's new performance space. The show will run about 90 minutes with no intermission.

AFTERMATH (limited run remount), written and directed by Ronan Marra, will open November 6, 2010, running through November 21, with an added industry show on Monday, November 15 . Brian Jones, founder and original leader of "The Rolling Stones," was perhaps most famous for his mysterious death at age 27. Jones's lasting impact on rock ‘n roll was masked behind his sexual escapades, high profile relationships and drug induced arrests. Spanning the years 1966-1969, AFTERMATH, a drama with the actors playing live music, maps the rise and fall of a troubled genius whose legacy was overshadowed by the very band he created. The show will run about 90 minutes with no intermission.

ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF AN ANARCHIST by Dario Fo will be directed by ensemble member Anthony Ingram. A bomb blast in a bank kills dozens and injures over a hundred. The police pick up a professed anarchist for questioning. While being interrogated, he "accidentally" falls out of a 4th floor window. Based on this true event which marked the beginning of a decade of state-sponsored terror, Nobel Award-winner Fo's play is a hilariously scathing satire that uses brutally funny violence and tragic wit to shine a light on the terrifying lengths governments will go to preserve their grip on power. The show will run about 100 minutes with one intermission.

ACES, a world premiere comedy by ensemble member and multiple Jeff award-winner Jon Steinhagen, will be directed by Ronan Marra. In the summer of 1975 Saigon has fallen, the Watergate scandals continue, and Bobby Fischer refuses to play chess, but in Las Vegas, none of this matters to six casino employees who are busy running their nickel-and-dime scam during business hours. When a blackjack dealer named Samantha is added to their lives, these losers are forced to take a close look at their desperate lives, their selfish behavior, and each other. The show will run about 110 minutes with one intermission.

The newly christened Signal Ensemble Theatre is located at 1802 West Berenice Avenue, on Chicago's north side, and is air-conditioned. The venue is handicapped accessible, with padded, stackable, non-permanent seating. Street parking is available on Ravenswood and Berenice (which runs one way going west), and reachable via CTA Brown line EL stops Irving Park and Addison, as well as CTA busses #80-Irving Park, #152-Addison, #50-Damen, and #11-Lincoln.

Regular Signal performances will run on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m. Regular ticket prices are $20 for single tickets; and $15 for students, seniors and industry members (with ID), plus for each member in groups of 15 or more. Tickets and information are available at 773-347-1350 and www.signalensemble.com; plus Signal offers some tickets via http://www.signalensemble.comduring runs.

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