World Premiere of Sarah Gubbins' COCKED to Play Victory Gardens

Victory Gardens Theater continues its 41st season with the World Premiere of Cocked by Sarah Gubbins, directed by Victory Gardens Theater Associate Artistic Producer Joanie Schultz. Cocked runs February 12 - March 13, 2016 with the press performance on Friday, February 19, 2016, at 7:30pm at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue.

The cast of Cocked includes Patrese D. McClain, Kelli Simpkins and Mike Tepeli. The creative team includes Chelsea M. Warren (scenic design), Janice Pytel (costume design), Sarah Hughey (lighting design), Thomas Dixon (sound design), Sam Hubbard (fight direction), Tina M. Jach (Stage Manager) and Isaac Gomez (dramaturgy).

"I can't think of a better home for the world premiere of Sarah Gubbins' witty, complex, and thought-provoking new play," said Victory Gardens Theater Artistic Director Chay Yew. "When I read this play two years ago, when looking for works to be part of our annual IGNITION Festival of New Plays, I was struck by Sarah's extraordinary ability to write a thrilling piece of theater, while asking the tough question: 'What would it take for you to own a gun today?'"

Attorney Taylor and her journalist girlfriend Izzie live a comfortable life in Andersonville. Their apartment, relationship, and strong anti-gun beliefs are shattered when Taylor's troubled brother Frank crashes, uninvited, into their lives. As secrets and betrayals rise to the surface, the line between self-defense and safety is blurred. Cocked, a timely world premiere thriller from Chicago playwright Sarah Gubbins and directed by Victory Gardens Theater Associate Artistic Producer Joanie Schultz (Rest, The Whale), returns to Victory Gardens after gripping audiences at the 2014 IGNITION Festival of New Plays.

About the Artists

Sarah Gubbins (Playwright) Plays include Fair Use, The Drinking Problem, The Kid Thing (Jeff Award 2012 and Edgarton Foundation New American Play Award 2011), fml: how Carson McCullers saved my life, and Cocked. Her plays have been produced at the Steppenwolf Theatre, Actor's Express, 7 Stages, About Face Theatre and Chicago Dramatists, among others. Her plays have been developed at the Public Theater, New York Theater Workshop, The Atlantic Theater, The Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theater, The Plawrights' Center, Center Theatre Group, O'Neill Theatre Center, the Lark, and Berkeley Rep's Ground Floor, among others. She has been a Carl J. Djerassi Fellow and Jerome Fellow. She has been commissioned by Steppenwolf Theatre, DePaul University, and the Actors Theater of Louisville. She is a proud Core Writer at The Playwrights' Center and a member of gender parity advocacy group, The Kilroys. She holds a M.F.A. from Northwestern University. She is currently living in Los Angeles.

Joanie Schultz (Director) is the Associate Artistic Producer at Victory Gardens Theater. Victory Gardens Theater: The Whale, Rest. Chicago: Venus in Fur (Goodman Theatre); A Small Fire, The Cheats, Martyr, Luther (Steep Theatre); The Kid Thing (About Face Theatre/Chicago Dramatists); The Girl in the Yellow Dress (Next Theatre); Northanger Abbey (Remy Bumppo Theatre); Bruise Easy (American Theater Company); Spinning (Irish Theatre Chicago); Yankee Tavern (American Blues Theatre); Neighborhood 3 (Strawdog); The Hundred Flowers Project (Silk Road Rising), fml: how Carson McCullers Saved My Life (Steppenwolf for Young Adults); 2013 Co-Artistic Curator for Theater on the Lake. Opera: Bluebeard's Castle, Der Kaiser von Atlantis, Acis and Galatea, Carmen. Fellowships: Leadership U One-on-One Fellowship funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and administered by TCG, Drama League Fellowship, The Goodman Theatre's Michael Maggio Directing Fellowship, SDCF Denham Fellowship, Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab. MFA in Directing (Northwestern University). Ensemble Member: Steep Theatre. Theater Faculty Member: Columbia College, University of Chicago.

Patrese D. McClain (Izzie) Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight (Windy City Playhouse); White Guy On The Bus (Northlight, Jeff Nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress 2015); Tartuffe, Misanthrope, Spunk (Court Theatre, Jeff Nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress for Spunk, 2011); August Wilson Celebration: Piano Lesson (Goodman/Fleetwood-Jourdain). Regional: Two Trains Running (Geva Theatre Center); Crumbs From The Table Of Joy (Mustard Seed), For Colored Girls, No Child... (Black Rep, St. Louis Circle Theatre Award for Best Actress for No Child... 2013). TV: "Chicago Fire," "Sirens," "Detroit 1-8-7." Patrese is the Executive Director of Pure ART, a company member of Collaboraction Theatre, and a resident teaching artist with Court Theatre.

Kelli Simpkins (Taylor) Original creator/performer of The Laramie Project (Off-Broadway, Denver Center, Berkeley Rep., La Jolla Playhouse). Chicago: Spill (Timeline, Swine Palace); Teddy Ferrara (Goodman Theatre); The Kid Thing (Chicago Dramatists, Jeff Nomination for Principle Actor 2011); Pony (About Face); In Darfur (Timeline); Late: A Cowboy Song (Piven); The Laramie Tour: TLP & TLP Epilogue, Celebrity Row (American Theater Company); Fair Use, Good Boys and True, One Arm (Steppenwolf); Execution of Justice (About Face). Regional: The People's Temple (The Guthrie, Perseverance and Berkeley Rep.); I Think I Like Girls (Cherry Lane Theater/La Jolla Playhouse). Film/TV: A League of Their Own, Chasing Amy, "Betrayal," "Empire," "Law & Order: CI," "The Laramie Project" (Emmy nomination: Ensemble Writing). Recipient of the Chicago 3Arts Award.

Mike Tepeli (Frank) Last Train to Nibroc (Haven); Great Expectations (Strawdog); The Original Grease, It's A Wonderful Life: The Radio Play (American Theatre Company); Burnt Part Boys (Griffin); Big River, Elephant Man (BoHo). Regional: Troilus and Cressida (Taffety Punk).

Previews of Cocked are February 12-18, 2016. Previews are $15-$40. The Press opening is Friday, February 19 at 7:30pm. Regular performances run February 20 - March 13, 2016: Tuesday - Friday at 7:30pm; Saturday at 3pm and 7:30pm; Sunday at 3:00pm. Regular performances are $15-$60.

Performances are at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, in the heart of Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. For tickets and information, call the Victory Gardens Box Office, 773.871.3000, email tickets@victorygardens.org, or visit www.victorygardens.org. Ask the Box Office about student tickets ($15), senior, Access, $20 under 30, and rush discounts. For group discounts, call 872.817.9087.