The Ruckus Announces Casting for COMMON HATRED

The Ruckus Theater announces casting for the world premiere of Common Hatred starting June 21 at The Side Project Theatre in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood. Devised and developed by a company of actors and writers during a six-month creation process in 2012, the script of Common Hatred is written by Calamity West and is directed by Ruckus Ensemble Member Karie Miller.

The cast of six includes Catherine Bullard (Profiles Theatre, Walkabout Theater), Ruckus Artist in Residence Scottie Caldwell (Sideshow Theatre, Polarity Ensemble Theatre), Ruckus Artist in Residence Julie Cowden (The Ruckus, Stage Left),Ruckus Literary Manager Aaron Dean (The Ruckus, Tympanic Theater), Michael Moran (Urban Theater Company, Interrobang Theatre Project), and Ruckus Artist in Residence Neal Starbird (The Ruckus, New Leaf Theater). 

Performances of Common Hatred begin June 21 (Opening Night is June 22) and runs through July 22, 2012 at The Side Project Theatre (1439 W Jarvis Ave); performances are Friday – Sunday at 8pm. Tickets are $15 and go on sale April 16 at ruckustheater.org. The Ruckus is partially funded by the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. 

Life is a story, but it's not a short one. It has many acts, and they never quite end the way we predict. Built through a collaborative six-month process, Common Hatred prompts playwright Calamity West, director Karie Miller, and a band of fearless actors to try to see the Cherry Orchard for the trees in this company-devised work: an exploration of realism, tragicomedy, and never quite arriving in your personal Moscow.

Playwright Calamity West is a Chicago-based playwright. She received her BA in playwriting from Webster University and her MFA in playwriting from California College of the Arts in San Francisco. In Chicago, her plays have been seen with Chicago Dramatists, The Inconvenience, Jackalope Theatre Company, American Theater Company and at last, The Ruckus. This summer, Calamity's newest work, The Gacy Play, will be produced by Sideshow Theatre Company. 

Director Karie Miller is an interdisciplinary artist with a focus on devised performance. Before Common Hatred, she spent two years developing Strangerland with Sideshow Theatre Company and was recently seen performing in 15 Minutes with The Ruckus at Rhinofest. Karie has worked with American Theatre Company, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Genesis Ensemble, Redmoon, and Sojourn Theatre Company. With an MFA in Acting from the University of Virginia, Karie is now an Ensemble Member with The Ruckus, an Artistic Associate and staff member with Sideshow Theatre Company, and serves on the founding Board of Directors for CLAW USA, and Froghammer Shakespeare.

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