The House Theatre of Chicago Announces Their 2010/11 Season

The House Theatre of Chicago proudly announces the company's eighth season, which will open with Damon Kiely's Thieves Like Us, based on the novel by Edward Anderson, directed by Kimberly Senior and developed in partnership with DePaul University. The season continues with Brett Neveu's Odradek, inspired by artist and photographer Jeff Wall's "Odradek" and directed by Dexter Bullard with original music by Josh Schmidt. Closing out the season will be Joe Meno's Star Witness, directed by Sean Graney. Making its return this holiday season will be The Nutcracker, adapted by company members Philip Klapperich and Jake Minton, with original music by company member Kevin O'Donnell and directed by company member Tommy Rapley.

Season subscriptions for Thieves Like Us, Odradek and Star Witness are $75 and will be available online at www.TheHouseTheatre.com or by calling (773) 769-3832 starting April 17. Tickets for the holiday show, The Nutcracker, will be announced at a later date. The complete season and The Nutcracker will be performed at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. in Wicker Park. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm. Regular tickets are $25-29 and are available by calling (773) 769-3832.

The 2010/11 HOUSE THEATRE OF CHICAGO SEASON IS:

Thieves Like Us

Written by: Damon Kiely

Based on the novel by: Edward Anderson

Directed by: Kimberly Senior

Developed in partnership with DePaul University

September - October 2010 (exact dates TBA)

Set in the Depression-era dustbowl, Thieves Like Us follows one man's quest to make his own morality. Bowie Bowers busts out of Alky prison and goes on a spree of bank robberies with hardened criminals T-Dub and Chicamaw. His newfound gal Keechie wants him to give up the life and settle down. Bowie figures he's no more a thief than the politicians and bankers who steal with their brains instead of a gun. When the law busts up the gang Bowie is forced to make a decision: does he lam it for Mexico with Keechie by himself or does he break Chicamaw out of jail to be their guide? Kimberly Senior (founder and company member emeritus of Collaboraction Theatre Company) directs the third House show developed in partnership with a university.

Odradek

Written by: Brett Neveu

Directed by: Dexter Bullard

Music by: Josh Schmidt

Inspired by "Odradek" by photographer and artist Jeff Wall

January - February 2011 (exact dates TBA)

Odradek tells the story of a single father from a small Iowa town who becomes troubled over his son's declining mental heath. After a visit with a new doctor, the boy returns home and develops an odd friendship with a creature named "Odradek," a dark, shifting form made of twine and rags that lives under the stairs outside his bedroom. When the boy's health continues to deteriorate, the father returns to the doctor for further advice and the two enter into a romantic relationship. As his illness progresses, the boy begins to perceive the romance between his father and doctor as an echo of twisted words and hallucinated deeds. Cryptic fantasies become the boy's stark reality as his life twists towards The Shadows of Odradek's existence, creating a world where the most sinister fairy tale may hold the key to the boy's only means of mental and physical salvation.

Star Witness

Written by: Joe Meno

Directed by: Sean Graney

March - April 2011 (exact dates TBA)

A small town mystery. A girl gone missing. A police scanner with no answers. Star Witness is the story of Shelley, a nineteen-year-old waitress in the tiny town of Somerset, IL, hoping for something, anything to surprise her. When a local child disappears, Shelley and her foster grandmother Hazel steel themselves beside the police scanner, hoping for good news. But as tragedy begins to cloud the town, Shelley desperately searches the unfamiliar night for a glimpse of something that has kept its wonder. Sean Graney (Artistic Director and Founder of The Hypocrites) directs this latest collaboration with Chicago novelist Joe Meno (The Boy Detective Fails).

The Nutcracker
Adapted by: Phillip C. Klapperich and Jake Minton
Directed by: Tommy Rapley
Music by: Kevin O'Donnell

November - December 2010 (exact dates TBA)

The House's completely re-imagined version of The Nutcracker first premiered at the Steppenwolf Theatre in 2007 under the Visiting Company Initiative. This innovate look at the classic Christmas tale weaves together riveting dialogue, astonishing puppetry, beautiful song and spellbinding spectacle to tell a darkly moving story of magic and mystery that you never knew existed.

For more information on The House Theatre of Chicago visit www.TheHouseTheatre.com.

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