The Hypocrites to Stage World Premiere of JOHANNA FAUSTUS

On the heels of winning six 2015 Joseph Jefferson Awards for its epic production of ALL OUR TRAGIC, The Hypocrites is pleased to announce the world premiere of JOHANNA FAUSTUS, co-adapted by Emily Casey and Artistic Director Sean Graney from Christopher Marlowe's The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus and directed by Graney. JOHANNA FAUSTUS will conclude The Hypocrites' 2015-16 season with a limited engagement May 20 - 29, 2015 at The Den Theatre's Heath Main Stage, 1329 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. Tickets are currently available at www.the-hypocrites.com.

JOHANNA FAUSTUS will feature Breon Arzell, Kate Carson-Groner, Tien Doman, Dana Omar, Sasha Smith, Zeke Sulkes and Lauren Vogel.

In the spirit of Graney's previous hits including 12 Nights and Romeo Juliet, six actors tell a modern Faust story. The performers are also the design team, with purposeful limited resources they will enact the tale using the barest elements. In this new adaptation, Faust is a woman questioning her choices that brought her to success but also isolation. What would you trade for happiness?

Comments adapter/director Sean Graney, "I have long been attracted to the myth of Faustus, the character that would sacrifice his mortal soul to achieve success. I think it acts as a great morality against ambition generating self-obsessed so much that it destroys any hope for compassionate human connection. I knew that I wanted to approach the tale from the perspective of a woman. I turned to my long time artistic collaborator, Emily Casey, knowing that her intelligence and sense of humor would add much to this oft-told tale."

A Winning Season

Graney's critically acclaimed ALL OUR TRAGIC, an epic 12-hour adaptation of all 32 surviving Greek tragedies, was honored this month with six 2015 Equity Joseph Jefferson Awards, including Best Play (midsized), Best New Adaptation and Direction for Graney and the prestigious Ensemble Award. ALL OUR TRAGIC enjoyed a successful return engagement this past summer at The Den Theatre.

The Hypocrites on the Road

The Hypocrites continue to make a national imprint, with remounts of Graney's wildly popular musical adaptations from the Gilbert & Sullivan canon set for engagements across the U.S. This fall/winter, THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE will play California's Berkeley Reportory Theatre (October 16 - December 20, 2015) and H.M.S. PINAFORE will play Actors Theatre of Louisville (November 19 - December 13, 2015). Next year, H.M.S. PINAFORE will play American Repertory Theatre (March 8 - 20, 2016) and THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE and THE MIKADO will play the The Olney Theatre Center near Washington, D.C. (July 14 - August 21, 2016).