THE RECOMMENDATION Announced At Windy City Playhouse

Windy City Playhouse, known for presenting unique and immersive theater pieces that create an intimate audience experience, is set to debut its newest immersive production with the Chicago premiere of Jonathan Caren's "The Recommendation" at its Flagship location (3014 N. Irving Park Road). Fresh off successful productions at The Old Globe (in San Diego) and the Flea Theater in New York, the psychological thriller follows two friends through the trials and tribulations of life and tests just how far they will go to get what they want. The cast of "The Recommendation" includes Michael Aaron Pogue as Iskinder Iodouku, Julian Hester as Aaron Feldman and Brian Keys as Dwight Barnes.

"The Recommendation" begins previews July 2 and runs through Sept. 22 at the Playhouse's flagship location. Tickets ($80-$100) are on sale now and can be purchased in-person at the Windy City Playhouse Box Office, by visiting WindyCityPlayhouse.com or by calling (773) 891-8985.

In keeping with Windy City Playhouse's mission of providing an intimate viewing experience, Caren is adapting his script specifically for this production following a reconceptualized vision of Windy City Playhouse Artistic Director Amy Rubenstein. The audience capacity for "The Recommendation" will be limited to 30 guests.

"The Recommendation" is the winner of the LA Ovation Award for Outstanding Production, the winner of the Craig Noel Award for Outstanding New Play and a finalist for the Laurents/Hatcher Playwright Prize. Stage Scene LA called the show, "Terrific... drama that will keep you guessing from its exhilarating start to its suspenseful finish... a rollercoaster ride of a play." The North County Times raved, "Smart, sassy and surprising. Don't miss Jonathan Caren's whip-smart, shape-shifting 'The Recommendation'. It's one of the best new plays I've seen in years." The Critics Choice said, "A rousing Recommendation. This is one show about connections, that really does connect." TheatreMania hailed the play as "unfailingly intelligent and brutally funny."

"We always aim to bring new and unique theater to the Playhouse and 'The Recommendation' felt like the perfect choice for us," said Windy City Playhouse Artistic Director Amy Rubenstein. "We've been working to adapt the show with playwright Jonathan Caren to present a version that is original for Windy City Playhouse. It keeps you guessing from start to finish. It's interesting and smart and I am confident it will resonate with our audiences."

The performance schedule for "The Recommendation" is as follows: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets ($80-$100) are now on sale through Sept. 22.