Trap Door Theater Presents HORSES AT THE WINDOW 3/19-4/25

The TRAP DOOR THEATRE presents: The Mid-west Premiere of....
Horses at the Window
Written by: Matei Visniec
Directed by: Radu Alexandru-Nica

Cast: John Gray, John Kahara, Beata Pilch, Tiffany Ross, John Stokvis & Holly Thomas

In concert with the Romanian Cultural Institut in New York and the French Cultural Services in Chicago, Trap Door Theatre is proud to present Matei Visniec's Horses at the Window. Horses at the Window is a penetrating, playful examination of the women who wait patiently at home for their fighting men. A mother, daughter and wife say goodbye to their men, when a messenger appears with flowers, compliments and death portents. A charming treacherous guide, the Messenger's seductive infiltration into their lives is an allegory for the quiet way the idea of war can become commonplace in society. Trap Door's production of Horses at the Window has been invited to Romania to perform in the 2009 Arad-Fun Underground Festival, the International Sibiu Festival and The Teatrul de Comedie in Bucharest.

Critically acclaimed Romanian guest director; Radu Alexandru-Nica is well known for his attention to the "new realism" a movement dedicated to finding truth in a playwright's text, no matter how absurd. A native of Sibiu, Alexandru-Nica graduated from the Gh Lazãr, The National College of Sibiu in 1998 and studied Theater at the Ludwig Maximiliams University. He received his PHD in directing from University Lucian Blaga in Sibiu. He has assistant directed for Andrei Serban and Silviu Purcarete, two of the greatest Romanian theatre directors. Alexandru-Nica is the resident director of The National Theatre in Sibiu.

Matei Visniec playwright, poet and journalist, was born in Romania, and now lives in Paris. He began writing for the theatre in 1977. Early in his career Visniec's plays were banned by the Romanian censors. In 1987 he was invited to France by a literary foundation. While there, he asked for and received political asylum. After the fall of communism in Romania, in 1989, Visniec became one of the most performed playwrights in the country. Visniec gained international attention in 1992, with productions of Horses at the Window in France, and Old Clown Wanted at the "Bonner Biennale". Since then, Matei Visniec's work has been produced in France, Germany, United States, Denmark, Austria, Poland, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Brazil, Romania, and Moldavia.

Lighting Designer Richard Norwood/ Costume Designer Karen Kawa/ Stage Manager Gary Damico / Graphic Designer Michal Janicki / Set Designer John Wilson

Opens: Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 8 PM.
Closes: Saturday April 25, 2009 at 8 PM.
Runs: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM.
Admission: $20 (2-for-1 on Thursdays)

What:
* Trap Door Theatre proudly presents critically acclaimed Romanian director, Radu Alexandru Nica's inventive production of Matei Visniec's Horses at the Window a comedy of futile martyrdom and overzealous patriotism.

* Directed by Romanian sensation, Radu Alexandru Nica, Horses at the Window is an absurdist look at three generations of naïve nationalism.

*Horses at the Window, an absurd and playful examination of the wildly dynamic relationship between bravery and stupidity.

TRAP DOOR THEATRE, 1655 W. Cortland Ave., Chicago, IL 60622
Info/Reservations: 773-384-0494
To purchase tickets online: www.trapdoortheatre.com