On the heels of the NYC runs of two of the most heralded productions in recent history (August: Osage County, Adding Machine), Chicago will be delivering yet another completely unique work for the stage in Theater Oobleck's acclaimed production of Mickle Maher's fascinatingly hilarious The Strangerer, marking that play's New York Premiere. The Strangerer will play The Barrow Street Theatre for a summer season, beginning Wednesday, July 9, with an official Opening Night set for Sunday, July 13 at 7:00 p.m.
The Strangerer is currently completing its sold-out smash hit run at Chicago's Chopin Theatre (final Chicago performance is June 29). The play's entire original cast will reprise their praised performances for the Barrow Street Theatre engagement: Guy Massey, Mickle Maher, Colm O'Reilly, and Brian Shaw.As enthusiasts may recall, one of the titles on President George W. Bush's 2006 summer vacation reading list was Albert Camus' absurdist tale of senseless murder, The Stranger. In hopes that the French philosopher might shed some light on the current political climate – or vice versa – Maher's new play, The Strangerer, collides several of Camus' works with the first Bush/Kerry Presidential debate in 2004. The formalities of the debate are overturned as Bush and Kerry struggle with the question not of, if or why an innocent man should be killed (the man in question being moderator Jim Lehrer), but rather what is the proper manner in which to go about killing him. The Strangerer is part political satire, part classical drama, part contemporary debate, and a murder mystery with the murderers in plain view.Videos