Timeline Theater Co's THE HISTORY BOYS Receives Final Extension, Set To Close 10/18

With continued ticket demand resulting in 18 weeks of sold-out performances so far, TimeLine Theatre Company announces a third and final extension of its critically acclaimed and Equity Jeff Award-nominated Chicago premiere of The History Boys by Alan Bennett, directed by Nick Bowling. The History Boys, originally scheduled to end June 21 and previously extended to August 2 and then September 27, will close on October 18, 2009, at TimeLine Theatre, 615 Wellington Ave., Chicago.

Tickets for performances during this final The History Boys extension go on sale Friday, September 4 at 12 p.m., online at timelinetheatre.com or via phone by calling the TimeLine Theatre Box Office at 773.281.TIME (8463).

Since its Opening Night on Saturday, April 25, 2009, The History Boys has broken records and set numerous new ones for TimeLine. The play celebrates its 100th performance today, Thursday, September 3 at 7:30 p.m. - well beyond the previous record of 77 performances set by the remount of Fiorello! in 2008. Tickets to the 100th performance are sold out but theater fans are invited to celebrate with the cast and production team after the show at Wilde Restaurant & Bar, 3130 N. Broadway, beginning at approximately 10:45 p.m.

More of The History Boys by the numbers:

* Equity Jeff Award nominations: 5 (Outstanding Production - Midsize; Ensemble; Director, Nick Bowling; Scenic Design - Midsize, Brian Sidney Bembridge; Actor in a Supporting Role - Play, Alex Weisman)
* Length of the entire run: 25 weeks of performances over six months April 25, 2009 through October 18, 2009
* Number of performances in the entire run: 140
* Number of the first 100 performances that have sold out: 100
* Average percentage capacity sold: 104% (Number of seats: 87)
* Number of people who have seen the production through September 30: 8,732
* Number projected to have seen the production through October 18: 12,500 (previous record was 6,309 for the remount of Fiorello! in 2008; the number of people who saw Fiorello! over the course of both of its runs in 2006 and 2008 was 9,254)

Other recent TimeLine milestones:

* Led all other midsize theaters with 12 Equity Jeff Award nominations in the company's first season of eligibility in the Equity Wing, including two for Outstanding Production - Play - Midsize (Not Enough Air and The History Boys).
* For the first time in 10 seasons, opened a subscription series production at a venue other than TimeLine's home at 615 W. Wellington Ave. All My Sons by Arthur Miller is now playing through October 4 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago.
* To date have achieved an 18% increase in subscriptions over the 2008-09 season, with 1,595 sold. TimeLine is launching a campaign to achieve 2,009 subscriptions in 2009, which would represent a 50% increase over last season.

The performance schedule for The History Boys between September 3 and October 18 is: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3 pm. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

The History Boys runs 3 hours and 10 minutes, including one intermission.

Tickets for The History Boys extension performances are $32 (Wednesday - Friday) or $42 (Saturday & Sunday). Student tickets are $10 off regular price, with valid ID. Group rates for groups of 10 or more are available. Advance purchase is strongly recommended.

The recipient of more than 30 major awards, including Tony and Olivier awards for Best New Play, The History Boys follows a rambunctious group of clever young men as they pursue higher learning, games, sexual identity and a place at university under the guidance of three wildly different teachers and a headmaster obsessed with results. Set during the 1980s in northern England, it is a hilarious and provocative play about the anarchy of adolescence and the purpose of education - specifically, how history should be taught.

TimeLine's production of The History Boys has been met with critical and audience response unprecedented in the company's history, with performances selling out weeks in advance and nearly universal praise in reviews.

The cast of The History Boys features Will Allan (Scripps), Donald Brearley (Hector), Andrew Carter (Irwin), Joel Gross (Dakin), Chris Hart (Crowther), Matthew Krause (Headmaster), Michael Peters (Rudge), Tony Santiago (Timms), Yuriy Sardarov (Akthar), Josh Schecter (Lockwood), Ann Wakefield (Mrs. Lintott) and Alex Weisman (Posner). Will Allan, Donald Brearley, Andrew Carter, Joel Gross, Michael Peters, Ann Wakefield and Alex Weisman are members of the production's original cast who will remain with the show through the closing performance.

Production staff for The History Boys includes Brian Sidney Bembridge (Scenic Design), Lindsey Pate (Costume Design), Keith Parham (Lighting Design), Andrew Hansen (Sound Design & Original Music), Mike Tutaj (Projections Design), Julia Eberhardt (Properties Design), Maren Robinson (Dramaturg), Cheney Tardio (Stage Manager), James Ogden (Production Manager/Technical Director), Bridget Dehl (Assistant Director) and Kristin Grace (Assistant Stage Manager)

The History Boys Location/Transportation/Parking/Accessibility

TimeLine Theatre is located at 615 W. Wellington Ave., inside the Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ building, near the corner of Wellington and Broadway in Chicago's Lakeview East neighborhood. CTA El stops at Wellington (Brown/Purple lines) and Belmont (Red/Brown/Purple lines) are nearby. CTA busses #36-Broadway, #76-Diversey, #77-Belmont, #22-Clark and #8-Halsted stop nearby. There are two flights of stairs totaling 18 steps between the street and the theater, with no elevator. Visit timelinetheatre.com for complete directions and parking information.

PARKING DEAL: Park for up to 6 hours for $8 (with validation) at the Standard Parking lots at Broadway Center, 2846 N. Broadway, and Century Center, 2836 N. Clark St. There is also limited street parking, and several other paid parking facilities, located nearby.

While The History Boys continues at TimeLine's home on Wellington Avenue, the company has launched its 2009-10 season by moving its production of Arthur Miller's All My Sons to the Greenhouse Theater Center Downstairs Mainstage, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. All My Sons is now playing through October 4, 2009.

Founded in April 1997, TimeLine Theatre Company's mission is to present stories inspired by history that connect with today's social and political issues. Praised as "a must-see company" (Chicago Sun-Times) and a "fast-rising Chicago company" (The New York Times) and recipient of the 2006 Alford-Axelson Award for Nonprofit Managerial Excellence and the 2008 Richard Goodman Strategic Planning Award from the Association for Strategic Planning, TimeLine has received 37 Non-Equity Jeff Awards, including an award for Outstanding Production six times. TimeLine's 2008-09 season is presented under contract with Actors Equity Association.

TimeLine is led by Artistic Director PJ Powers and Managing Director Elizabeth K. Auman. Company members are Nick Bowling, Janet Ulrich Brooks, Lara Goetsch, Juliet Hart, David Parkes, PJ Powers and Benjamin Thiem. TimeLine is a member of the League of Chicago Theatres, Theatre Communications Group and the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce.