WNEP Theater Presents THE (EDWARD) HOPPER PROJECT At The Storefront

WNEP Theater, in association with Chicago DCA Theater, presents the world premiere of The (edward) Hopper Project. The production, written collaboratively by WNEP company members, comes to Chicago DCA Theater's Storefront Theater at 66 E. Randolph Street, from January 15 - February 21, 2010. Members of the press are invited to the opening performance on Friday, January 15, at 7:30 pm.

WNEP Theater brings to life a mosaic of characters inspired by the paintings of American realist artist Edward Hopper. In a series of vignettes and short moments, seventeen actors follow Hopper's New York from dawn to dark and thrust the audience into the quiet desperation and dark comedy of the city.

Performances are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm and Sunday afternoons at 3 pm. There is no performance on Friday, February 12, due to the Lincoln's Birthday holiday. A post-show discussion with the cast and crew will follow the performance on Thursday, January 21. Audio description and sign language interpretation will be available at the matinee performance on Sunday, January 24.

Tickets for The (edward) Hopper Project are $20 for general admission and $15 for seniors and students. Discounts are available for Chicago Cultural Center Mosaic Members, theater industry affiliates, military personnel, ADA companions, and large groups. All tickets are available by calling 312.742.TIXS (8497), visiting www.dcatheater.org, or stopping by the box office, open Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 6 pm; Sundays, noon to 4 pm; and one hour prior to each performance.

In 1942, Edward Hopper created his iconic diner scene in Nighthawks, a painting that has become famous the world over as a paragon of American art. Studied, imitated, and parodied, this emblem of urban American life, with its stark shadows and lonely customers, has inspired filmmakers, musicians, and writers. WNEP Theater developed The (edward) Hopper Project in response to this work and others in the 2008 Edward Hopper exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago. Evoking Hopper's voyeuristic perspective, company members wrote a play that recreates the artist's cityscapes and marginalized characters.

Cast and Production Team
The (edward) Hopper Project features Scott T. Barsotti, Mary Jo Bolduc, Regan Davis, Lauren Fisher, Dennis Frymire, Kevin Gladish, Lori Goss, Merrie Greenfield, Marsha Harman, Joe Janes, Andrew Jordan, PatRick Kelly, Ian Knox, Vinnie Lacey, Erin Orr, Amanda Rountree, and Jacob A. Ware.

Directed by WNEP Founding Director Don Hall, the production was written by WNEP Write Club Members Mary Jo Bolduc, Jen Ellison, Bob Fisher, Tom Flanigan, Don Hall, Merrie Greenfield, Joe Janes, Cholley Kuhaneck, and Rebecca Langguth.

The show's set design is by Heath Hays with lighting by Mike Durst, sound by Joe Griffin, and costumes by Rebecca Languth. The Assistant Director is also Rebecca Languth, and Stage Managers are Dianna Driscoll and Stephanie Hoerner.

Founded in 1993 as an experiment in "destiny control" by three graduates of the Second City Training Center, WNEP (What No one Else Produces) Theater has been a critically acclaimed creative force in Chicago with a strange but intentional mix of improvisation, sketch comedy, game shows, one-act plays, full length comedies and dramas, musicals, and performance art to its credit. The company generates original work casting a critical eye on American values, culture, and perspectives by presenting the grotesque as beautiful, the mundane as unexpected, and asking its audience to change its role from spectator to participant. Recent productions include Soireé DADA: Schmückt der Hallen and the Tenth Annual SKALD Storytelling Competition. The eleventh rendition of SKALD will be May 10-15, 2010, at the Chicago Cultural Center.

Special Events
In association with this production, WNEP Theater and Chicago DCA Theater present:

Nighthawk Sandwich
Wednesdays, January 20, 27, February 3, 10, and 17, at 7:30 pm
Storefront Theater
$5 general admission at www.dcatheater.org or 312.742.TIXS (8497)
For those who want more, WNEP Theater stages additional scenes inspired by Edward Hopper's work. These vignettes inspired by the American realist painter's Nighthawks incorporate new material and additional cast members.

The Mourning Show
Presented by H. Peter Steeves
Tuesday, February 9, at 7 pm
Claudia Cassidy Theater in the Chicago Cultural Center
Event is free
Moving from the work of Edward Hopper to Francis Bacon, from William Shakespeare to Donald Hall, and from Aristotle to Jacques Derrida, H. Peter Steeves, Professor of Philosophy at DePaul University presents live music, dance, theatre, and more to examine the relationship between art and mourning.

The Storefront Theater and the Studio Theater, its companion theater located in the Chicago Cultural Center at 78 E. Washington Street, comprise Chicago DCA Theater, an anchor of the downtown theater district. Chicago DCA Theater offers downtown audiences an off-Loop theater experience with an exciting look at the vibrant emerging theater companies that call Chicago home.

Discounted parking is available at Wabash Randolph Self Park at 20 E. Randolph. Patrons can receive the $10 rate by validating their ticket at the Storefront Theater box office.

For more information about WNEP Theater's The (edward) Hopper Project and Chicago DCA Theater, call 312.742.TIXS (8497) or visit www.dcatheater.org. The enhanced website features more about DCA Theater performances and programs, including a blog, photo galleries, and visitor information. More information on WNEP Theater is available at www.wneptheater.org.

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