Nathan Pease News

Idle Muse Theatre Company will produce the Chicago premiere of The Woman Who Amuses Herself, by Victor Lodato, directed by Idle Muse ensemble member Nathan Pease. The Woman Who Amuses Herself will run June 23rd through July 24th, 2016 with previews June 23rd and 24th and will be presented at Edge Theater, 5451 N Broadway Ave, Chicago, IL 60640. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Run time is approximately 2 hrs including 1 ten-minute intermission. Ticket prices are $20 for adults and $15 for students/seniors. Tickets for previews are $10. Every Thursday is Industry Night with $10 tickets for industry members with headshot/resume. Tickets may be purchased by visiting www.idlemuse.org or by calling 773-340-9438.

Idle Muse Theatre Company announced the cast for the Chicago premiere of The Woman Who Amuses Herself, by Victor Lodato, directed by Idle Muse ensemble member Nathan Pease. The cast features ensemble members Brian Bengtson (Walter Pater / Brother Benedetto / Voice 1), Cat Hermes(Miss Mattel / Marcella Antonelli / Voice 5), Mara Kovacevic (Sophia Peruggia / Voice 3), and Nathan Thompson (Vincenzo Peruggia / Cabaret Girl), artistic associate Joel Thompson (Larry Worthington Buckles / Marcel Duchamp / Voice 4), and guest artists Almanya Narula (Kevin Lesser / Beth Tucker / Voice 2), Erin Colleen Gordon (understudy) and Rodrigo Arreola (understudy).

Idle Muse Theatre Company announced the design team for the Chicago premiere of The Woman Who Amuses Herself, by Victor Lodato, directed by Idle Muse ensemble member Nathan Pease.

Idle Muse Theatre Company will conclude its 10th season with the Chicago premiere of The Woman Who Amuses Herself, by Victor Lodato, directed by Idle Muse ensemble member Nathan Pease. In 1911, Vincenzo Peruggia, a worker at the Louvre, committed the crime of the century by walking out with the Mona Lisa hidden under his coat.

Idle Muse Theatre Company presents The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, newly adapted by Althos Low and directed by IMTC artistic director Evan Jackson. First serialized in the Strand Magazine in 1901-1902 - and perhaps the most beloved of Conan Doyle's crime thrillers - Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson trade the foggy streets of London for the country wilds of Dartmoor to shield the life of a young heir whose family is believed cursed by a murderous hellhound.

Due to high ticket demand, Idle Muse Theatre Company has added an additional performance of The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, newly adapted by Althos Low and directed by IMTC artistic director Evan Jackson. The additional performance has been scheduled for Wednesday, March 23 at 8 p.m.

In addition to adapting the script for Idle Muse Theatre Company's upcoming production The Hound of the Baskervilles,Shanghai Low Theatricals will design the puppetry for the production. Althos Low is the pen name for Shanghai Low Theatricals, an adaptation development group based in Chicago. Formed in 2001 as a group of theatre craftspeople adapting literary works for the stage, in 2009 the company expanded into the creation of graphics and visual development. In 2014 the group adapted George Orwell's Animal Farm for Director Hallie Gordon and the Steppenwolf Young Adults Program. For the Baskervillescollaboration, Steve Pickering serves as Adaptor, with input from the company, and House Artists Fred Baxter and Tom Kyzivat provide pre-production concept art. Pickering received a Joseph Jefferson Award for designing the costumes, masks, and puppets for Balliwick Repertory's production of Animal Farm in 1988.

Idle Muse Theatre Company announced casting forThe Hound of the Baskervilles, newly adapted by Althos Low and directed by Idle Muse Artistic Director Evan Jackson. First serialized in the Strand Magazine in 1901-1902 - and perhaps the most beloved of Conan Doyle's crime thrillers - Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson trade the foggy streets of London for the country wilds of Dartmoor to shield the life of a young heir whose family is believed cursed by a murderous hellhound. 

 Idle Muse Theatre Company was recently informed that The Factory Theater's Season 23 has been postponed until further notice due to building permit issues with the city. As this was the planned venue for The Woman Who Amuses Herself in November, Idle Muse Theatre Company has rescheduled the 10th Season and reassigned the upcoming 10th Season venue. The fall slot will be replaced by a staged reading of The War of the Worlds directed by ensemble member Tristan Brandon and new festival celebrating plays written and directed by women entitled the Athena Festival to be curated by ensemble member Sara Robinson.

Idle Muse Theatre Company will open its tenth season with the Chicago premiere of The Woman Who Amuses Herself, by Victor Lodato, directed by Idle Muse ensemble member Nathan Pease and featuring an all-company member cast from Idle Muse Theatre Company. In 1911, Vincenzo Peruggia, a worker at the Louvre, committed the crime of the century by walking out with the Mona Lisa hidden under his coat. Peruggia then spent two years in his Paris apartment alone with the mysteriously smiling woman as his muse. But was he an Italian patriot who believed 'La Gioconda' should be returned to her native Italy? Or was he a not-so-common thief seeking his fortune? Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece has attracted, inspired, and perplexed millions of admirers across generations and continents but what makes the Mona Lisa so special? Was it her theft alone that brought her the world's attention? Meet Vincenzo and others affected by the smiling lady in this intriguing whydunnit. Produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. (playscripts.com). Nathan Pease directed last season's Jeff Awards Nominated production, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for Idle Muse Theatre Company.

Idle Muse Theatre Company announces its tenth season which features plays exploring the thin line between truth and fantasy.

Idle Muse Theatre Company will continue its ninth season with the Chicago premiere of The Talking Cure, by Christopher Hampton and directed by Idle Muse Artistic Director Evan Jackson.

Idle Muse Theatre Company will continue its ninth season with the Chicago premiere of The Talking Cure, by Christopher Hampton and directed by Idle Muse Artistic Director Evan Jackson.

Idle Muse Theatre Company will continue its ninth season with the Chicago premiere of The Talking Cure, by Christopher Hampton and directed by Idle Muse Artistic Director Evan Jackson. The play explores the life of Sabina Spielrein.

Idle Muse Theatre Company will continue its ninth season with the Chicago premiere of The Talking Cure, by Christopher Hampton and directed by Idle Muse Artistic Director Evan Jackson. The play explores the life of Sabina Spielrein. A brilliant young 'hysteric,' Spielrein was Carl Jung's first patient, and eventual colleague, as he sought to refine the 'talking cure' method of treatment proposed by his adopted mentor, Sigmund Freud. Traditional notions are shattered when Sabina begins to blaze her own trail and a forbidden journey into repressed passions unfolds as patient and doctor cross the ultimate boundary, becoming lovers. Under the creeping shadow of two World Wars, all three are drawn into a complex web of rivalries and dark desires that will eventually give birth to modern psychoanalysis - as well as its first great schism. Produced by special arrangement with Creative Artists Agency (www.caa.com)

Idle Muse Theatre Company will continue its ninth season with the Chicago premiere of The Talking Cure, by Christopher Hampton and directed by Idle Muse Artistic Director Evan Jackson. The play explores the life of Sabina Spielrein. A brilliant young 'hysteric,' Spielrein was Carl Jung's first patient, and eventual colleague, as he sought to refine the 'talking cure' method of treatment proposed by his adopted mentor, Sigmund Freud. Traditional notions are shattered when Sabina begins to blaze her own trail and a forbidden journey into repressed passions unfolds as patient and doctor cross the ultimate boundary, becoming lovers. Under the creeping shadow of two World Wars, all three are drawn into a complex web of rivalries and dark desires that will eventually give birth to modern psychoanalysis - as well as its first great schism. Produced by special arrangement with Creative Artists Agency (www.caa.com).

Idle Muse Theatre Company has announced the appointment of Erin Gallagher as Managing Director. An ensemble member and resident Costume Designer since 2013, Erin replaces founding Idle Muse company member, Lenny Wahlberg as Managing Director. However Wahlberg will assist the transition in an advisory capacity for the remainder of this calendar year. Wahlberg, a founding member of Idle Muse Theatre Company, served as managing director for seven years and directed three productions.

Idle Muse will open its ninth season with Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher and directed by IMTC ensemble member Nathan Pease. This adaptation is a whip- smart and shocking version of a classic tale of lust, love, horror, and the depravity that lurks within us all.

Lifeline Theatre presents an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers, by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Robert Kauzlaric (Non-Equity Jeff Award winner), and directed by 2nd Story Artistic Director Amanda Delheimer Dimond. Kauzlaric's adaptation of The Three Musketeers was originally commissioned by the Illinois Shakespeare Festival in 2010, revised for a 2011 Indiana University production, and will be further developed for its Chicago premiere at Lifeline Theatre. Fourteen actors will play over fifty roles in this epic swashbuckler with fights choreographed by Matt Hawkins.

Lifeline Theatre presents an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers, by Lifeline Theatre ensemble memberRobert Kauzlaric (Non-Equity Jeff Award winner), and directed by 2nd Story Artistic Director Amanda Delheimer Dimond. Kauzlaric's adaptation of The Three Musketeers was originally commissioned by the Illinois Shakespeare Festival in 2010, revised for a 2011 Indiana University production, and will be further developed for its Chicago premiere at Lifeline Theatre. Fourteen actors will play over fifty roles in this epic swashbuckler with fights choreographed by Matt Hawkins.