Walkabout Theater Presents THE PIGEONS 4/30, Reception To Follow

Feathers fly in Walkabout Theater's site-specific spring farce, The Pigeons, directed by Cassy Sanders. Opening is Friday, April 30, at 8:00 p.m. at Swim Cafe, 1357 W. Chicago Ave., with a reception following. Tickets can be reserved by calling the Walkabout Theater box office at 773-572-0341 or purchased at the door. The suggested donation is $10-$15.

The Pigeons is a real estate farce set in Chicago's diverse, rapidly-gentrifying West Town neighborhood. When Martin's girlfriend kicks him out of their apartment, he has to find new digs quickly. Unfortunately, the only available living space is a tiny condo inhabited by dozens of hygiene-impaired pigeons. Martin must then navigate the torrent of unemployed artists, unscrupulous real estate agents, embittered baristas, rageaholic frat boys and terrifying, pierogi-selling old ladies to land his dream condo. The Pigeons asks the question: can anybody - artists, yuppies, pigeons, or otherwise - escape gentrification?
Artistic Director, Kristan Schmidt states, "Walkabout really enjoys creating pieces about specific Chicago neighborhoods which are then performed in those neighborhoods. Joe Zarrow is very well versed with the West Town neighborhood and the gentrification that is currently taking place. We are excited to discuss the hipster generation and the impact it is has on the community."

Beginning in 2009, Walkabout theatre began to put emphasis on supporting "green business". In last year's production of War Garden, Walkabout partnered with NeighborSpace, a non-profit group that is supported by the City of Chicago, which helps communities create their own sustainable gardens. With The Pigeons, Walkabout is pleased to partner with Swim Café, an establishment that features fair trade coffees, organic teas and sustainable business practices.

Joe Zarrow is a playwright, actor, and teacher. He has performed his solo shows Dead White Men in Bed and Hold Me, Drill Me, Kiss Me in Chicago, New York, D.C., Providence, and Winnipeg. His one-act The Staircase was performed at the Source Theater's Ten-Minute Play Festival in Washington, D.C. Joe teaches high school English and drama in Chicago.

Director, Cassy Sanders, is a company member with Theatre Seven of Chicago where she most recently played "Cassy" in Mimesophobia. Other Chicago directing credits include: co-writer / co- director for Lies & Liars (Theatre Seven); co-director for Yes, This Really Happened to Me (Theatre Seven); Case of You (The Ruckus Theatre), 2nd Story (Serendipity Collective), My Future Ex-Boyfriend (Pavement Group), and Love, Valour and Technology (Live Bait's Fillet of Solo). Cassy has co-dramaturged for The Wooden Breeks, and Around the World in 80 Days at Lookinglass Theatre. Her short plays "Lesson One" and "Chicago Summer" premiered at The Steppenwolf Garage Theatre as part of the 7th and 8th Annual SKETCHBOOK Festivals with Collaboraction. At Collaboraction, Cassy served as Assistant Artistic Director for two years. She holds a BFA in Theatre from Cornish College of the Arts.

Cast: Keith Neagle (Lloyd) is a company member of Pavement Group who has also performed with About Face and The Artistic Home; Kevin Crispin (Martin) is a company member of Rascal Children's Theatre who has also performed with American Theatre Company and The Side Project; Emma Stanton (Veronica) is a Walkabout Theater company member who has also performed with Redmoon Theatre and American Theatre Company; Mary Hollis Inboden (Bex) is a company member of The New Colony who has also performed with Noble Fool and Live Bait; Travis Williams (Chad) was recently seen in Timeline Theatre's The History Boys and Fifth Floor Productions' Tallgrass Gothic; Mary Mikva (The Pierogi Lady) is an artistic associate of Collaboraction where she has appeared in a number of Sketchbook productions.

Staff includes: Mac Vaughey (Set and Lighting Designer), Whitney McBride (Costume Designer), and Steve Ptacek (Sound Designer). Megan See serves as Stage Manager.

Walkabout Theater

Walkabout Theater creates arresting theatrical events by rigorously exploring theatrical forms and languages to provide an immersive, moving, and vibrant story telling experience for a live audience. Walkabout has created original work through the collaboration of artists working in many disciplines. Walkabout has also partnered with many Chicago area companies including Lookingglass and Collaboraction to produce new works. Frequent individual collaborators include Chicago icons Jon Langford and Stuart Dybek.

Walkabout Theater is funded by The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, The Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelly Foundation, The Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, The Department of Cultural Affairs CityArts Program, Fidelity Trust, and the annual support of individuals.