The Trap Door Theatre Presents 12 OPHELIAS: A PLAY WITH BROKEN SONGS 9/24

The TRAP DOOR THEATRE presents The Mid-west premiere of 12 Ophelias: A Play with Broken Songs, Written by: Caridad Svich, Directed by: Kate Hendrickson

Cast: Casey Chapman, Geraldine Dulex, Noah Durham, Jen Ellison, Joslyn Jones, Nikki Klixx, Mildred Marie Langford, Kevin Lucero Less, Emily Lotspiech, Judy Loyd, Alyson Lyon, Pamela Maurer

Shakespeare's Ophelia rises up out of the water dreaming of Pop Tarts and other sweet things. She finds herself in a neo-Appalachian setting where Gertrude runs a brothel, Hamlet is called Rude Boy, and nothing is what it seems. In this mirrored world of word scraps and cold sex, Ophelia cuts a new path for herself.

Combining original Appalachian-inspired music with poetic and colloquial language, 12 Ophelias is a theatre song-poem about being broken by society and love, being lost and finding yourself again.

CARIDAD SVICH (Playwright) is a US Latina playwright, translator, songwriter and editor whose works have been profiled in the July/August 2009 issue of American Theatre. Her play The House of the Spirits (based on Isabel Allende's novel) premiered this February at Spanish Repertory/NY under Jose Zayas' direction and is still in repertory (www.repertorio.org) and her play Instructions for Breathing premiered at Passage Theatre/NY in April under Daniella Topol's direction, and Wreckage at Crowded Fire Theatre/CA in May under Erin Gilley's direction. Among other key works: Any Place But Here, Alchemy of Desire/Dead-Man's Blues, Fugitive Pieces, Iphigenia...a rave fable, The Tropic of X, The Labyrinth of Desire and The Booth Variations. In Chicago area her work has been at TUTA Theatre, Latino Chicago, Caffeine Theatre, and Northwestern University. She has edited several books on theatre and performance including Trans-Global Readings (Manchester University Press) and Divine Fire (BackStage Books). She has translated nearly all of Federico Garcia Lorca's plays as well as contemporary works from Argentina, Spain, Mexico and Cuba. She is alumna playwright of New Dramatists, founder of NoPassport theatre alliance & press, associate editor of Routledge's Contemporary Theatre Review and contributing editor of TheatreForum. Her works are published by TCG, Playscripts, Smith & Kraus and more. She is member of PEN American Center, The Dramatists Guild and is featured in the Oxford Encyclopedia of Latino History. She holds an MFA from UCSD. Website: www.caridadsvich.com

Assistant Director John Kahara / Choreographer Camille Kuthrell / Arranger-Composer Alison Chesley / Music Director Nicolas Tonozzi / Video Designer Aaron Covich/ Lighting Designer Gina Patterson / Set Designer Nick Rastenis / Stage Manager Dianna Driscoll / Fight Choreographer Mathias Maloff / Graphic Designer Michal Janicki

Opens: Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 8 PM.
Closes: Saturday, October 31, 2008 at 8 PM.
Runs: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM.
Admission: $20 (2-for-1 on Thursdays)

-12 Ophelias: Shakespeare's Ophelia rises up out of the water dreaming of PopTarts and other sweet things. She finds herself in a mirrored world of word scraps and cold sex, where Gertrude runs a brothel, Hamlet is called Rude Boy, and nothing is what it seems.

-Like an old Appalachian ballad; In 12 Ophelias, Shakespeare's Ophelia rises up out of the water craving sweet things. Full of desire, she seeks out the boy who did her wrong.

-12 Ophelias: In a mirrored world of word scraps and cold sex Ophelia a cuts a new path for herself.

TRAP DOOR THEATRE, 1655 W. Cortland Ave., Chicago, IL 60622

Info/Reservations: 773-384-0494
To purchase tickets online: www.trapdoortheatre.com